


Metamorphosis

by ShivaeSyke



Series: Metamorphosis [1]
Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Deaths, Dismemberment, F/M, Fairies, Family, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Father-Son Relationship, Fatherhood, Goblins, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Motherhood, Possibly a lot more violence, Pregnancy, Some fighting, not that violent, some blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2020-05-15 08:16:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 41
Words: 102,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19291834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShivaeSyke/pseuds/ShivaeSyke
Summary: Growing up is hard to do.  Starting from the beginning BEFORE the beginning, Bog searches for his place in his world and Marianne tries to break out of hers.Exploration into what events shaped Bog into who he is and Marianne.... well... she's just unique.  Nothing shaped her.  She is what she is and fairy standards can't get in her way!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Strange Magic, but if I did, I would probably have given it a better treatment than it got.  
> I have not written fanfiction in twenty years, but decided I really wanted to for this one! I am not going to go back and edit it, because I get wrapped up in it and have other creative things I need to be doing.  
> I watched Strange Magic every day for a whole month starting a couple of months ago, because I just suddenly remembered it and how much I enjoyed it. Then I started reading fanfiction. :D Then I decided to write some!  
> I did a search for names to call Bog before he is the Bog King, that include Bog in the name and I KNOW I read fanfic with him being called Bogdan and it grew on me. The search for names also had it on the top and I liked the meaning: Given by God. I hope I don't upset anyone by going ahead and using it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The way things are in the Fairy Kingdom and the Dark Forest, when Bog and Marianne are children.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm editing in spaces between the paragraphs to make it easier to read. I have NOT edited the content, because if I do, I'll be lost for hours of time that I can be writing. Instead, I will edit it when it's done.

“Do you know what happens to a fairy who finds themselves lost in the dark forest?” The little fairy stared up at her mother with wide brown eyes as the brush passed through her thick mop of wild hair. “The color falls from their wings and their skin grows hard.” The brush caught on a tangle for a moment and her mother worked it free skillfully. “Their wings shrink to nothing and they turn into goblins.”

  
“Really Momma?” The little girl gasped in horror. “Goblins were fairies once?”

  
Mother hesitated for a moment in thought, “It’s just a fairy tale my little Marianne. Goblins don’t look anything like fairies.” She put the brush down and wrapped her slender arms around her daughter. It was a difficult thing to do with her pregnant form getting in the way, but she managed.

  
Soon, there would be another smiling, happy face to care for. She winced as a sharp pain crossed her abdomen. The baby inside bounced around energetically.

 

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“Bog! Bog, dear! Sweety! Where are you?”

  
His mother was calling.

  
Bog rolled his eyes and continued trying to squeeze his small slender body through a crack in the wall. His exoskeleton scraped on the rock, but was unscathed. He wriggled through without too much trouble, then looked back at the small hole. The growing nubs on his shoulders were going to make escaping the castle more and more difficult as he got older.

  
He could still hear his mother calling for him. He grinned impishly. There was a gap where his two top teeth should have been. He had lost them during his last excursion. A few missing teeth were no problem. They would grow back, sharp and ready to be used.

  
Bog took a small hop and his wings rattled, taking him quickly into the air. It wouldn’t take him long to reach the hunting party and join his father in chasing a rogue fox out of the forest. He had never seen a fox, but his father had described it thoroughly.

  
In the dark forest, something as bold as a fox was not to be missed. This one was reported to be a large fox with bright red fur, tipped in black and white. Father had promised Mom all the fur would be hers and they would be feasting on Fox meat tomorrow.

 

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Marianne yawned, snuggling into her warm bed. She fell asleep without a care in the world. She did not see her mother walking slowly and painfully across her neatly decorated room. She did not see her stumble and catch herself in the doorway. She did not hear her whimper and then whisper for assistance from a passing cleaning fairy.

Bog flew through the dark forest, easily navigating the labyrinth of massive branches and hanging limbs. This was what he liked. Freedom and adventure. He was alone and nothing was expected of him. There were no other goblins around and there would be none. His father, the Bog King, was the only other goblin with wings he had ever known.

  
This was life. Fight and survive. Do your job and everything was good. There was time for idle sentiments, festivities, and having fun after work was done. Goblins were not like fairies, flitting around partying all the time and dressing up in fancy clothes. None of that was truly important.

  
When Fairies had festivals and balls, Goblins had feasts and bards. Feasts with food laid out in an endless smorgasbord. The best feasts were held in the coldest parts of winter, right before the majority of goblins hibernated.

  
There wouldn’t be a feast or any singing bards for quite some time since they had recently awoken. Bog and his family did not need to hibernate, but they still had to protect the inhabitants of the dark forest. It was at this time that the majority resided in the castle, deep within its depths in several months worth of slumber.

  
They awoke ravenous and the right amount had to be smoked and stored properly for the early spring months when wild food would be scarce. Bringing down a rogue fox would feed everyone for weeks!

  
Bog’s wings vibrated with excitement. He had caught sight of his father and the goblin hunting party. There were a few scouts on dragonflies, flitting near the front group. That was where his father was!

 

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The Bog King was standing on the stump of a fallen tree, looking out over a scene of carnage. The dark forest was not quite as dark as its name implied. The area the goblins lived was the darkest part of the forest. It was a perfect place to live for creatures that required a damp, earthy place to be comfortable. Every part of the Dark Forest was full of life, just not quite the same as what lived in the light fields.

  
Birds, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, deer, mice and other such creatures filled the forest. There were clearings full of greenery and small fields that welcomed them.

  
This opening didn’t welcome anyone. There were numerous clumps of feathers that ended in bloody stubs. Several nests had been ripped apart and a few fragments of broken shells littered the ground.

  
The Bog King stamped his staff several times on the stump. The goblins stood silently at his side and spread out around the base of the stump. The only predators allowed in the dark forest were the goblins. They managed the wildlife for their own benefit and took what they needed. Nothing more.

  
This Fox was upsetting the balance. The Bog King scowled angrily and ground his jagged teeth together in clear anger. His long clear wings tipped in black vibrated briefly.

  
Bog landed on a limb nearby and watched. He wasn’t sure he wanted to approach his father while he was fixated. That was never a good idea. He loved his father, but had quickly learned that you never bothered him while he was working. He took his job seriously and he had to. Everyone in the dark forest depended on his judgment and he was resistant to showing any weakness and that included any sort of doting on a beloved and only son.

  
Work time was not family time. That would come when everyone else was hibernating.

  
“We have our job cut out fer us,” The Bog King grunted drawing himself up to his full height. He towered over almost every goblin present. Only the massive bulky bruisers were taller and only a few of them. The small army began snarling and growling amongst themselves. “We are goin’ to catch this tod and end it before it eats everythin’ in the Dark Forest!” He stamped the staff again, the amber centerpiece catching the moonlight with each movement. “”Without order, there is chaos and I will not tolerate chaos.”

  
Bog mouthed the words as his father said them and smiled. His wings rattled and immediately his father’s gaze fell on him.

  
“Bogdan.” Uhoh. Dad used his full name. Bog twitched and stilled his wings. He stood up, acknowledging his father immediately.

  
“Bog.” A brief flash of softness crossed the Bog King’s face. “Normally I welcome your little escapes from home ta join me, but this is no place for wee ones.” Bog stiffened. His father had just called him a child? His wings rattled and he stepped off the limb and flew down to join his father.

  
“Father! I’m 12 years old! Younger goblins than I are here!” Bog scowled up at his father. He was tall, but he was a twig standing before a mighty oak.

  
The Bog King snorted and pointed his staff at his son’s chest. He stepped forward and prodded the boy with the head of the staff, pushing him off balance. “Bogdan. Ye will turn aroun’ and return home immediately.”

  
To be fair, Bog knew there was a massive difference between himself and other goblins. He was covered in rigid armor and had been his entire life. Goblins his own age had thick skin and sharper teeth, but when they were younger they were soft and Bog had to take care not to hurt them. They did not wield weapons like he and his father. They did not need them. Bog had been taught well, but he lacked the more powerful frame of his father. He did not like the implication that he was a soft child.

  
Bog opened his mouth to say something, but then remembered that he was standing in the midst of his father’s subjects. Without order, there is chaos. Bog shut his mouth and bowed his head, lowering his eyes in submission to his father. He would not undermine him. That was not the goblin way.

  
As he lowered his head, a gleam across the small clearing caught his eye. “Father!” Bog jerked backward, pointing past his father as the form of a scraggly Fox appeared, its nose down looking for anything it missed earlier.

  
“Quiet!” The Bog King hissed, swinging a hand at Bog’s head. Bog ducked immediately and went into a crouch behind his father. “Move in. Ye know what to do.” The order went out and was whispered from goblin to goblin as they rushed silently in the trees surrounding the area. Bog attempted to creep after them, but his father caught him by the arm and roughly jerked him back. “Where do ye think yer goin’, Lad?”

  
“I want to watch.” Bog admitted looking up into his father’s heavily scarred face. The Bog King’s brilliant blue eyes narrowed. “No. Ye do not need to see this. Go. Home. Bogdan.” That was that. Bog scowled, but turned and took to the air. His father did the same, moving into position to take on the fox with his hunting party.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne meets her new little sister.  
> Bog's parents are EMBARRASSING.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go ahead and have a second chapter! I'm actually on chapter 5 and resisting writing more today. My original intention had been to go to events after the movie, however, this is so much more fun as the characters tell me what they want to say.

Marianne awoke to one of her nursemaids gently shaking her awake.

  
“Good morning, Marianne,” the excited fairy smiled at her. “Time to get up and meet your little sister!”

  
Marianne squealed in delight and bounced out of bed. She ran past her nursemaid and into the hall, wings flowing behind her like a dusky purple cape. The startled nursemaid bounded after her, trying to catch her before she barged into the royal chambers.  
She was unsuccessful.

  
Marianne darted past a pair of guards and a few other fairies and found herself at her parent’s grand bed. Her mother was sitting, propped up on pillows on one side while her father was sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. Both of them had been giving their full attention to the little bundle in her mother’s arms until Marianne thumped against the foot of the tall bed. She quickly climbed up onto the end, then crawled up to her mother’s side with an excited giggle. The King and Queen smiled at her as she leaned her against her mother’s head and peered down into the tiny pink face swaddled in a soft lacy wrap. The baby was sleeping and looked so peaceful. Wisps of golden hair, just like the Queen’s hair, framed the baby’s cherubic visage.

  
“What is her name, Momma?” Marianne kissed her mother on the cheek.

  
“I think we are going to call her Dawn.” The Queen replied with a weary smile. “Say good morning to your little sister, Marianne.”  
“Good morning!” Marianne whispered, keeping her voice low, then she let out another piercing squeal of delight.

  
“Marianne.” The King stood up and grabbed his elder daughter in his arms, trying to quiet her. He was smiling and lifted her off the bed in one swoop, then carried her over his head like she was flying on out of the room. “Let’s let your mother and sister rest.” The King glanced over his shoulder, giving his wife an affectionate look before he took his little noisemaker on into the hall.

  
“My sister’s name is Dawn! She is so beautiful!” Marianne laughed and nestled into her father’s arms as cradled her.

  
“She is that.” The King beamed returning Marianne to her nursemaid waiting outside. “Why don’t you get dressed and come have breakfast with me. We are going to have a very long conversation about how to be a good big sister.”

  
“I’m going to be a good big sister!” Marianne squealed happily, clapping her hands.

“I know you will be.” Her father smiled warmly and tousled her already messy mop of brown hair.

 

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“Ah tell ye, that tod almost had me!” The Bog King walked animatedly around the dining room, gesturing wildly with his staff in hand. He had a few new shallow cuts on his face and a notch missing from the armored plating on his right arm. Bog sulked in a chair next to his mother, picking at his breakfast. He was listening and wanted to be excited, but forced himself to look as disinterested as possible, wanting desperately for his father to notice him.

  
“That fox didn’t know what he was messing with!” Griselda laughed merrily.

  
“We dinnae lose anyone and it’s being skinned and prepped in the main kitchen.” The Bog King plopped down in the chair on the other side of Griselda, grabbing a chunk of meat off his full plate and popping it into his mouth. He was in a good mood after the very long, yet successful night hunt. “There will be a feast tonight.”

  
Griselda clasped her hands together tightly, leaning toward her husband. “With dancing?! And SINGING? I do adore a good singer!”

  
“Aye.” The Bog King shot her a toothy grin. Then he did something that made Bog groan in annoyance. He leaned toward Griselda and kissed her. And it wasn’t just a short peck.

  
“At the dinin’ table?” Bog grumbled glancing at his parents and their way too public display of affection. He turned away from them and continued poking at his food.

  
The Bog King wrapped one long arm around his wife in an affectionate squeeze, then turned his attention to his son. “Bogdan.”

  
“Yes, Sir?” Bog didn’t lift his head, but shifted his eyes to look at his father. The Bog King rose to his feet and walked behind his son. Then he wrapped his arms over his shoulders in a rare embrace that made Bog stiffen. There were goblin guards at the far end of the dining room. It was embarrassing to be hugged by his father like this, even though the approving contact was something Bog relished.

  
“Ye did good in doin’ what I said.” The Bog King rose to his full height placing one massive gnarled hand on Bog’s shoulder and patting him. His father’s words lit a warm fire inside, despite Bog’s desire to be annoyed at being treated like a child. “There will be time enough for such hunts when ye are older.”

  
“When will that be?” Bog raised his head, tilting it back to look up at his towering father.

  
“Sooner than I would like.” The Bog King grunted and returned to his chair to rip into another chunk of meat. Bog silently watched him for a moment

.  
His father was impressive and confusing. Goblins were mostly simple people. They hunted. They ate. They slept. They made little goblins. Despite their fearsome reputations, things were not what they seemed and his father had brought even bigger changes when he was declared their king. Griselda had told Bog many times that before HER Bog, the bog king was any number of vicious goblins who made a name for themselves terrorizing their fairy neighbors.

  
There was not a King until Bog arrived and began ordering the goblins. Goblins are SIMPLE people. They can also be much kinder than one would think as long as they were not hungry. Goblins also had a nasty habit of eating each others children, which was a primary driver in Goblins keeping their affections as private as they could.

  
Things had changed with The Bog King. He told them what to do and they listened, because something about him made them want to obey and they were rewarded with a better life than they had ever dreamed of having. Once they were scattered, but now they were one people, serving their one king with fervent devotion.

  
They loved their king, because he clearly cared about them and their well being. Everything he had done, he did for the safety of the dark forest and those who resided there. He did not come from the dark forest, but somewhere further away. He was far older than he looked and much older than his Queen. Bog knew that they had never expected him, due to his father’s age, and that was also why he did not have any siblings.

  
Still, Bog wondered why he had never met another like himself. While he and his father shared the same build and armor plating, his father’s skin and armor was smoother. Bog was grey with small highlights of reddish brown here and there. His father’s coloration was a mottled reddish brown all over with random black markings over his back. His manners, which he had passed down to his son and more than willing wife, were not the same as other goblins. He was refined, ordered, and dignified to a point that commanded respect, even from the more bestial goblins.

  
A thought flickered through Bog’s mind as he slowly began eating. His father married so late in life. He always said he was busy making the Dark Forest a good place for its people, but what if his fellow goblins were never attracted to him in that way. They were not the same kind of goblin. He loved his mother, but understood that she was an exceptionally love crazed goblin who liked everyone.  
What if. What if he was just ugly? It had never bothered him before, but his goblin friends had begun pairing up last spring. They were just experimenting with relationships and he was left by himself. He didn’t care at the time, because their types matured much faster than whatever he was. He just wanted to have fun, do his lessons, and spar with his father. Nobody flirted with him, although he had witnessed his friends doing so to each other and rolled his eyes at their ridiculously clumsy activities.

  
He was a prince. He didn’t have time for such frivolities. He stared thoughtfully into his plate. He. Did. Not. Have. Time. There would be time to think about things like that when he was older. Still, he knew that in the coming months the amber lit halls would be decorated for spring festivities. His mother would be at the head of it all, covering the entire castle in hearts made out of every material imaginable. The thought made his stomach churn.

  
Hearts everywhere. Even their food would be arranged in heart shapes, because the goblins knew how much the Queen Mother loved them. In turn, the hearts made everyone act strange and be more open with their affections. Bog would have to see them, being all lovey dovey with the full onset of spring. Spring meant love and suddenly, Bog began to crave it. He glanced at his mother and father. The Bog King had his arm around Griselda and was smiling and carrying on an enthusiastic conversation despite his wings hanging low and shoulders sagging from how tired he was. He had their love, but what they had between them was an entirely different thing.

  
Bog pushed the thought out of his head. No. He wasn’t going to let spring control him. He had things to do. He was going to keep his head and make his father proud of him so that the next time there was a hunting party after a dangerous creature, he would be invited to go.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog learns about the kinds off decisions kings have to make for the good of their Kingdoms. Things which involve working with people you hate.

Spring came and went, then another spring came. Bog spent a good deal of time outside the castle when he wasn’t being educated by his father. Most of the time these lessons were one on one doing things that other goblins never had to. Writing, math, geography, scouting, tracking, the art of war, and various ways of fighting. Bog was an excellent student and occasionally there were other students.

  
Goblins were simple, but among them a bright mind would crop up every now and then and the Bog King would personally see to their education. Typically, these other students would only participate in one lesson. They would learn how to read and write and serve as scribes, even though there was no one to write to. They would be trained in a trade that the Bog King felt was fitting them and then they trained others.

  
Bog was fluent in multiple fairy and goblin languages. His mother had learned how to spell one word. Love. Only she spelled it L.O.F.E. She couldn’t sit still long enough to learn anything else and like any other goblin, didn’t need to. A network of mushroom people took care of transferring messages from one place to another. They were amazingly accurate, but mistakes did occur, such as an invasion of dragons that was relayed to his father one time. It turned out to be a liason request from Fairylands, a sealed letter for his eyes only left at the primary entryway into the dark forest.

  
It was the only time Bog had ever seen his father answer a liason request. They were sent yearly through the mushrooms on the borders of their lands. The Bog King had strict orders that if any goblin encountered a fairy, they were to chase them OUT of the dark forest and make sure they did not reenter. They were not to eat the fairies or harm them in any way. They just wanted it clear they were not allowed to cross the border. Bog understood that had been a difficult thing to manage in the early years, but after a time the goblins understood that leaving fairies alive meant they could spread the stories of the frightening goblins in the dark woods. Soon, it became a game that many goblins enjoyed and young fairies testing their bravery also enjoyed on their side.

  
They kept an eye on the flighty fairies, but wanted little to do with them otherwise. On rare occasions when food was scarce, his father would lead raids into the closest elven towns and steal a portion of their food. He kept log books recording the amount of grains and what kind each village kept, along with a population count of each town that was close to the border, their ages, and the tribute they gave to their king. The Bog King liked books full of such information and he had stacks of them, all of which Bog had to learn how to manage, read, and calculate.

  
Goblins didn’t like fairies, because fairies were just awful to be around. Elves were only a little better. Like Goblins, Elves were simple and trusting. It was funny to think of goblins being trusting when he knew the impression they gave the fairies was that they were all cunning and vicious predators. However, Bog knew that Elves and Goblins were much more alike than either would like to admit. He understood why his father kept the books. There was plenty to go around for all, but the goblins were not welcome to trade with the elves and it was all the fairies fault.

  
The Bog King hated fairies and Bog kinda hated them, but couldn’t really find a reason to. They were arrogant, beautiful, and always flashing their colorful armor near the borders. He had watched them with his father doing drills just outside the dark forest or on the fringe. Bog had been captivated by their perfect form and how they worked together as a unit. There were far more fairies than goblins, but they did not know that.

  
Bog began to understand as his education progressed that his father’s orders were a clever way to keep their numbers unknown and over the years he had been in charge the number of healthy strong goblins had increased. Children were safe to play in the open and the goblins in general, were happier than they had ever been. They were no longer stressed with a constant need to fight to survive and while they still carried on some of the traits of that life, they were beginning to flourish in other ways.

  
And they loved their king. Bog could see their admiration in every interaction with his father. Their ways of showing affection were a bit rough at times, but they were loyal and that’s why his father accepting the request surprised Bog.

  
Accepting the liason request seemed like something that would upset the goblins.

“Father, what’s in the letter?” Bog inquired curiously. He was dying to see what was written down and read it himself. The Bog King scowled and turned, flicking the letter into the small fire behind him.

  
“You do not need to know, Bog.” The bog king picked up the ledger before him and flipped through several pages.

  
Bog stared at the fire, licking rapidly over the letter and consuming it within seconds. Then Bog stared at his father. He was writing something in the food ledger and the corners of his mouth were twitching. He grimaced, smiled slightly, then turned to Bog.  
“If I tell you this, you are to tell no one. Do you hear me, Bogdan?”

  
Bog nodded quickly, not opening his mouth to say anything for fear his father might change his mind. The Bog King rose, closed the door to the classroom and then returned to his desk. He held the book out to Bog. Bog took the book and looked at what his father had written. It was labeled, Fairyland Tribute and the numbers beside it were for wheat, flour, honey, vegetables, berries and a time period of five years. A note in his father’s fancy writing stated: Monthly tribute spread out over a year’s time. Bog’s eyes widened as he realized what the numbers meant.

  
“This is so much food! This is enough to feed every goblin in the kingdom through the winter months!” Then Bog laughed. “More than enough, because they don’t seem to realize that most goblins hibernate for a quarter of the year!”

  
The Bog King smiled at his son’s excitement, then he closed his eyes, steepled his fingers and sighed. “It has a possibly heavy cost.” Bog laid the book down on the desk and stared at his father expectantly. “A wolf has appeared in the dark forest and has been prowlin’ around the Fairylands. I was not aware it was there, because it is on the edge of our northern border and just showed up yesterday. The King of the Fairies has requested our assistance in either driving the wolf away or killing it before it begins killing his citizens. He has offered us this tribute in exchange for our assistance.”

  
Bog continued staring. A wolf? A wolf was much, much bigger than a fox and the worst they had ever had to deal with was foxes.  
“I will be meeting with the Fairy King to discuss strategy, but we will be fightin’ inside our forest or just outside the boundary. A wolf is a great danger to us all.” The Bog King slowly rose, taking his staff in one hand. “I would have assisted without tribute, but since it has been offered, I will not turn it down.”

  
Bog continued staring. The Bog King looked back, his eyes clouded with deep concern. “Bogdan. There are times when a king must do things he does not want to do with people he does not want to work with for the good of his subjects.” Bog nodded slowly at his father’s words, letting them sink in.

  
The Bog King rose to his feet again, “I need to attend to this matter immediately. Continue your reading.” Bog sullenly stared at the open book on his own desk. A complete collection of healing plants and roots in the dark forest. His father opened the door, paused, then turned back to him. “Bog, you will be accompanying me when I meet the Fairy King and you will observe the battle with the wolf, but not participate.”

  
The smile that broke Bog’s face was so wide it was almost painful. “Yes, Sir!” He scooted back into his desk and went right to work on the passages he had been working on before the letter had arrived.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Goblins meet with the Fairies to quickly go over their plan of attack. Marianne at 4 years of age is a handful. Bog at 13 does NOT appreciate his Father's jokes.

“Marianne!” The Fairy King rolled his eyes. His exasperated expression was reward enough for the fairy child that had her arms wrapped around his neck and was staring up at him with those beautiful, innocent amber lit eyes. She giggled and pressed her head to his cheek, kissing him. Marianne knew exactly how to wrap her father around her little finger and get what she wanted.

  
The assembled guards standing around their king stifled chuckles at the sight. They were on their way to a meeting with the Bog King and Marianne had apparently snuck away from her mother. It was an easy thing to do when the Queen was dealing with a very fussy, teething one year old.

  
“Marianne.” The King gently pried his little girl’s hands away from his neck. “Daddy is having a meeting with a very dangerous goblin and you should not be here.” He let his gaze travel to the arched gateway to the dark forest. His men were putting the finishing touches on a two sided tent near the entry where he would be talking with the Bog King. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but word had come quickly that the Bog King agreed to his terms and the time.

  
“Dad, I can fly faster than any goblin can run!” Marianne giggled playfully, bouncing around at her father’s feet once he got her on the ground. She fluttered her wings and lifted off the ground a good foot. “Yes, that’s all good, Dear, but daddy would really like you to go home. Where it’s safe.”

  
“That isn’t necessary. The wee lass is as safe here as anywhere.” Prickles ran up the Fairy King’s back and made his hair stand on end. They were here. He sighed at his daughter, putting a hand out to lay it on her head and hold her in one place, then he turned to face the Bog King and several goblin guards that were standing nearby looking intimidating.

  
The Bog King wasn’t what the Fairy King had expected. He didn’t look like any goblin the Fairy King had ever seen. He was incredibly tall, thin, and heavily armored. He had wings? The Fairy King cleared his throat, “Good afternoon, Bog King.”

  
“Good afternoon, Fairy King.” The Bog King returned the pleasantries, looking at the tent suspiciously. “Let’s get on with the plans for tonight.” He headed to the tent and the Fairy King did a double take at the second goblin that had been standing behind him. He was an almost exact duplicate of the Goblin king, just a few heads shorter.

  
“Dad!” Marianne struggled to get out from under her father’s hand. He sighed again.

  
“Marianne. Behave yourself.” The Fairy King let her free, but not before giving her a very stern look. He didn’t want to insult the Bog King or show him any fear, but he also needed to protect his daughter. The Fairy King joined the Bog King in the tent where a table had been set up with a detailed map of the Dark Forest and Fairy Kingdom. The Bog King produced a scroll of his own and laid it next to the Fairy map. This one was a far more detailed one of the Dark Forest.

  
Bog followed his father and tried to keep out of the way. He wanted to see the maps and hear what they were discussing and his father had instructed him to say nothing and just observe. He ignored the chattering little fairy with wild hair and over-sized purple wings. She was staying behind her father, but had climbed into a chair and was currently bouncing on it while tilting it up on two legs. She was going to fall. Bog wanted to say something, but bit back his concerns.

  
Bog’s attention was divided between his father and the Fairy King discussing where the Wolf had been seen and putting markers on the map and the antics of the fairy girl.

  
The chair rested back on four feet and the child plopped down on the soft cushioned seat with a gleeful squeal. Then she caught Bog looking at her.

  
She stuck her tongue out at him.

  
Bog made a perplexed face back at her. What a little brat. He looked back at his father, who was nodding to the Fairy King in agreement over something that Bog had missed being discussed.

  
Then he felt a hand brush against his bottom set of wings. Bog jerked back to fast that he almost fell into one of the tent poles. The Bog King smirked as he turned to see the little fairy girl motioning to his son’s wings. The sunlight was hitting them and making them light up with color.

  
“You have rainbows in your wings!” Marianne laughed. Bog wasn’t sure how to take it and judging by the panicked look on the Fairy King’s face he needed to act fast. With a rattle of his wings he lifted off out of the tent and out of reach. He heard his father laugh uproariously, make a comment to the Fairy King and then walk out of the tent. He paused to run his heavily clawed hand over the fairy girl’s hair, ruffling her hair more than it already was.

  
“Fearless wee one, aren’t you?” The Bog King knelt down in front of the fairy girl. “Go back to your father, Lass, you worry him.” Then he bared his fangs at her and gave her a frightening look along with a vicious snarl. She squealed and darted to her dad, but a smile was plastered across her face as she turned back and waved.

  
The goblins stared at their king, unsure what to make of the interaction. Bog scowled, annoyed at being the butt of the joke. The Bog King signaled to his guards to follow and they wordlessly fell into line as they crossed back into the Dark Forest. Bog landed beside his father once they were out of sight, his wings rattling in an agitated fashion.

  
“Rainbows.” The Bog King laughed, casting a glance at his sulking son. “That lass is goin’ to be a force to be reckoned with when she is Queen.”

  
“She’s a little brat.” Bog growled, not appreciating the compliment being given to such an annoying creature.

  
“She’s unique.” The grin that spread over the Bog King’s face was confusing. “I’ve been around fairies, Bog, and little fairy girls… they’re not like that. They’re delicate things. That wee lass has a streak of the wild in her.”

  
“What does that matter? She’s a fairy.” Bog ground his teeth together.

  
“A fairy QUEEN ye may someday have to work with when you are King.”

  
“You’ll be King forever, Father.” Bog looked down at the ground before them. His father was old, but he was strong, the strongest goblin Bog had ever known. Talk of Bog being King was not something he wanted to even think about. They took a few more steps in silence, then Bog had to ask. “Father, why were ye with the fairies?”

  
Silence.

  
“Bogdan, someday I will tell ye, but I’m not in the mood for it now.” The Bog King’s expression shifted from jovial to stiff. “As for the rest of ye, I had the Fairy King petrified I was goin’ to eat his daughter. Did you see the fool with his hand on his sword, terrified of what was goin’ to happen and strugglin’ with interferin’? He respects me and fears me. There was no need to be mean to a child, even an obnoxious fairy child. She will remember me.”

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The Fairy King gripped his daughter tightly in his arms as he flew away from the edge of the Dark Forest.  He had given quick orders to his soldiers to return home immediately and begin preparations.  Marianne was leaning back in his arms so she could see the goblins leaving.  She was waving at them.  She was smiling and shouting, “Bye!  Bye!”  The Fairy King cringed.  It wasn’t that he was truly afraid of the Bog King or the goblins.  He was a fit, capable man who was among the best swordsmen in the kingdom, but his daughter?  She was an innocent child who did not see any danger.  Marianne never seemed aware of danger and it was concerning. 

  
 The Fairy King made a show of checking Marianne over immediately after he retrieved her and she was her usual bubbly self, without a scratch on her.  The Bog King would not have dared harm her in his presence and the Fairy King knew quite a lot more about him than he let on.  He knew his guards could only see those teeth, jagged and sharp.  Claws that could not possibly be gentle and armored plating that was unnatural. 

  
Marianne had a completely different take on things.  As far as she was concerned, these goblins were just fairies that lived in the forest and that’s why they were different.  She had seen into the Bog King’s eyes up close and he had smiled at her.  A smile that twinkled all the way into his brilliant blue eyes.  His eyes told her that he was friendly, despite his heavily scarred appearance.  She only saw his eyes.  She saw who he was.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog's father takes things too far and so does Bog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my second favorite chapter so far. I have just finished writing chapter 8 and 7 is my absolute favorite.

The Fairy King left the preparations for his troops in his commander’s hands. He would be leading the main force once they were assembled, for now, he was enjoying lunch with his wife and two daughters. Dawn was fussing with her food as usual while Marianne was on her second serving of apple jelly sandwiches and honeydew juice. The Fairy Queen was happily dealing with Dawn, a sweet smile spread over her soft face. The Fairy King could sit and watch his beautiful wife for hours. She had never fully recovered her strength after Dawn was born and at times seemed a shadow of herself, but she was his wife and the mother of his beautiful vibrant daughters.

  
Healers and herbalists had been brought in to consult about the Queen’s condition and they all came down to something they referred to as Fading Syndrome. Something had happened to her heart and she was physically weaker than she had been before. This had happened after Marianne was born, but she had recovered quickly. This time, she spent most of her time sitting, had little appetite and while she doted on her daughters, insisting on caring for them every moment she could, she would often have to hand them both over to nursemaids while she rested.

  
The healers and herbalists prescribed various things to strengthen her health, but few had any effect. She was going to pass and it was only a matter of time. Sometimes, the Fairy King felt she was existing on will alone. She was so thin and frail.

  
“Everything should go well tonight. We will take care of this wolf before it causes further damage to our lands.” The Fairy King spoke as though this was all typical business. It was dangerous, but she did not need to be driven to worry.

  
“Oh, mother!” Marianne suddenly piped up. The Fairy King shot her a warning look, but she was ignoring him. He had made her promise she would not mention meeting the Bog King or the goblins. “Daddy’s so brave!” She threw a brilliant smile at her father and he relaxed as she took a big gulp of her juice.

  
“And I met dark forest fairies! They’re not goblins at all!” The Fairy King blanched as Marianne continued.

  
“Forest fairies?” The Fairy Queen slowly turned her gaze to her husband, her eyes questioning what she was hearing.

  
“Oh yes!” Marianne giggled, “The big one played with me and the little one has wings with rainbows in them!” The Fairy King slowly wiped a hand over his face and looked at his concerned wife.

  
“Nothing to worry about dear.” The Fairy King smiled a nervous smile.

  
“And where did you find these Forest Fairies, Marianne?” The Queen inquired curiously, her eyes still on her nervous husband.

  
“At the entry to the Dark Forest!”

  
The Queen made a gasping sound, breathing in sharply as she glared daggers at her husband. “What was Marianne doing at the entry to the Dark Forest?” She asked the question slowly, dangerously.

  
“Marianne followed me to my meeting with The Bog King.” The Fairy King was forced to admit in a whisper. “It’s ok, Dear. I kept her safe.”

  
The Queen’s eyes drifted to her very active older girl. “Marianne, you should not be wandering around the Kingdom without me. I need you to stay by my side and help me with your sister.” Dawn made a gurgling noise and Marianne became very still, understanding by her mother’s tone that she had done something that really displeased her.

  
“Yes, Mother.” Marianne replied in a guilty whisper. She looked up at her mother, eyes glistening with the start of tears. “I just wanted to see what Daddy was doing.”

  
The Queen leaned over to wrap her thin arms around Marianne. “I know, but Daddy has to do things that are dangerous and not a place for little girls, especially not princesses. Something could have happened to you. The Bog King could have decided to steal you away and then what?”

  
Marianne silently thought over the question. Then she replied with complete seriousness. “I guess I would become a goblin.

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“If things go well, we will be decorating our chambers in wolf fur.” The Bog King walked by his wife with a sword in one hand and his staff in the other. His body was crisscrossed with leather straps and scabbards holding a variety of bladed weapons. Bog was standing nearby with a single sword strapped to his left hip and a tall slender staff in his hands. He was checking the buckle and adjusting the belt. Clothing was so uncomfortable.

  
“So many furs!” Griselda clasped her hands in front of her gleefully. “I’ll make you a ceremonial cloak! And one for Bog too!”

  
“Aye.” The Bog King nodded, then his face lit up with an expression that could only be described as mischievous. “Maybe save some for a marriage robe.” Bog glanced up in horror, noting the look on his father’s face and the twinkle in his eye. The staff fell from his hands and landed on the floor with a clatter.

  
“Oh yes!” Griselda smiled at Bog, her small eyes turning into lines from just how happy the thought made her. Bog grimaced.

  
The Bog King tapped his staff several times on the floor as he walked around the room. “I met Bog’s wife today.” Bog whirled on his father, his jaw dropping. “She’s a wee little fairy princess, but she’ll grow up!”

  
“A fairy?” Griselda blinked, glancing at her son and her husband. Bog looked like he was going to explode, his eyes flashing at his father.

  
“She should be just the right age in a decade and a few,” The Bog King continued, enjoying getting a rise out of his flustered son. “She’s a princess. He’s a prince. I like the odds.”

  
“You. Hate. Fairies.” Bog sputtered in a barely restrained rage. His entire body was on fire at just how awful the words were that were coming out of his father’s mouth.

  
“Oh, I like that one.” The Bog King smiled a toothy smile at Bog. It was more than he could take. The fact that his father was clearly joking did not help matters. The reality behind his words struck Bog as hard as if his father had stabbed him with one of his swords. His eyes began to burn and his throat locked up.

  
Griselda noticed what was going on with Bog before his father did. She frowned and looked at him in concern. He was trembling where he stood and his hands were clenched so tightly she could see a rivulet of blood dripping from his left. She had to defuse the situation immediately.

  
“Boggy, don’t joke like that with Bogdan.” She stepped between them, smacking The Bog King in the arm lightly with a closed fist. Griselda tilted her head toward Bog and gestured for him to leave while she was distracting her husband.  
Bog did as he was instructed and immediately left the room. His legs were unsteady and his vision was clouded with red and black. He had never been so angry and he didn’t know how to handle it. Princes and Kings did not act out of anger. Those were his father’s words.

  
He found himself standing in his room, the door closed behind him. He couldn’t remember reaching his room or closing the door. The anger surging over him was all consuming.

  
Oh what did he care. He needed to do something! With a roar he charged into his room going for a chair first. It splintered against the heavy wooden frame of his bed. His claws ripped through the top of his desk, sending papers, books and a bottle of ink flying into the air.

  
Bog rampaged around his room, destroying anything that he could lift and throw, ripping through a fox pelt bedcover, pulling down the curtains his mother had put up over his private balcony. He had to destroy it all. The door was raked. His bed was torn apart. When he was done, Bog ended up in a panting heap in the middle of his destruction.

  
And then, he let the tears fall. Why had his father said that? Fairies were beautiful! A fairy princess would not give him a second glance and they were the closest to being his kind! He was hideous in their eyes! There was no other way to look at it. His father was joking about something that he took so seriously. It was cruel.

  
He was being mocked by his own father and it hurt so much.

  
Reason slowly filtered back in. His father didn’t know what he thought about himself. He had always teased his son, but never to be outright mean to him. Something had changed. Bog had changed. He was no longer a little boy completely oblivious to what others were doing and experiencing that he might never get to. Bog wrestled with his emotions, forcing them down with repetition. His father had not meant to hurt him. His father had not meant to hurt him. His father had not meant to hurt him.

  
The Bog King could not understand what he was going through, because he had Griselda. Bog looked around his room and what he had done and felt shame overcome all other emotions. What was wrong with him? Goblins were primal, but they did not rampage through their belongings and destroy them.

  
This kind of destruction? Only someone with an evil streak could do this. He had destroyed things given to him out of love. They represented his parents love for him and he had torn them to ribbons. Bog rose to his feet and immediately began trying to clean up the mess. He was still shaking, but now it was because he was petrified his mother would see what he had done. The deep purple curtains she had lovingly sewn just for him were torn and in several pieces around his small room. Black ink was staining one of the curtain remnants and the shredded fox bed cover. There were also small spatters of blood on everything he had touched with his cut hand. Bog vowed to never do this again.

  
He would fix this.

  
He would fix this before anyone saw it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was writing this, it came to me that I was writing why Bog couldn't see Dawn's boutonniere destroyed and why he liked it. It was a gift given out of love, even if that love wasn't true. It touched off memories of something that he wanted and never got as well as maybe memories of regret that are deeply sewn and an 'I will NEVER destroy something like that again' self rules. Oh, he's going to destroy stuff in the future, but it will never be something his parents gave him.
> 
> I also really love Bog's father, because he's a very typical dad, even though I made sure to pattern him after Bog in personality. The differences are their experiences in life and the fact that Bog's father had PEOPLE and FRIENDS who were just like him. Bog does not have that. He's completely alone outside of his parents. Goblins are awesome, but they are ... simple and I never mean that as stupid. Bog doesn't have any matching peers and nobody to confide things in.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Goblins and the Fairies prepare for their attack on the invading wolf and relics are introduced.

Bog couldn’t look his father in the eye, the shame of his actions weighing heavily on his shoulders. He had cleaned up his room the best that he could. The chair was a loss and his hands were covered in ink. His bed was laying on the ground now, concealing the broken frame. He knew his mother would notice, but maybe she wouldn’t ask him about it.  
His left palm itched where he had gouged several shallow slashes into his softer skin with his clawed fingertips. It also kept bleeding, leaving little red smears on the dark wood of his staff. Bog tried to keep his hand in one place on the staff to hide it.

  
For now, they were going over the plan for tonight’s encounter with the Wolf and Bog was listening intently to his father. Bog would keep his distance and fly with the scouts. There were going to be many dragonflies out that night. He wondered if his father would choose to bring one of his mounts or not. Would bats be useful? No, they were only for transport. The owls on the other hand.

  
“Pay attention, Lad.” The Bog King thumped the head of his staff on Bog’s shoulder roughly, threatening to knock him off his feet. It did the trick in getting Bog to snap out of his thinking and look up.

  
“Yes, Sir.”

  
“No matter what happens, ye are not to join the battle. Ye are to watch and learn.” The Bog King held his staff out to Bog, something which he had never done before. “I have written everythin’ ye need to know about my staff in my personal journals. Ye are not to read them as long as I am alive.” There it was again. Bog swallowed the tiny lump that had risen his throat as he leaned his staff against the wall. He took his father’s staff in his hands. It was heavy and surprisingly warm. He had never held it before. Bog looked up the staff, marveling at the intricate runes carved into the twining wood and then into the amber center stone.

  
“This is the only magical relic we have, Bogdan. Keep it with you always when ye are King. Never let it out of your sight.” The Bog King towered over his son, hands resting on his hips as he took in the sight of his son holding his staff. The boy wasn’t imposing yet. He was still too thin and light, but hadn’t he been similar at his age? Too tall, too lanky, limbs everywhere out of proportion and awkward until he hit his later teen years.

  
“Yes, Sir.” Bog met his father’s eyes with an intense gaze. He stood straight and at attention, waiting.

  
“Look into the amber, Bogdan.”

  
Bog did as he was instructed and immediately felt a sense of warmth flood through him starting at his eyes. He felt stronger and more confident. Looking at the amber skylights, lamps, and decorations in the castle always made him feel good, but this was something different.

  
The Bog King smiled approvingly. “This is my family’s relic. Our family’s relic. Always remember that no matter how powerful it makes you feel, it is nothin’ without ye and ye are everythin’ without it.” Bog blinked at the quizzical statement. What did it mean?

  
“Tonight, I am goin’ to use it and show its power to not only you, but the flighty fairies.” The Bog King gently took the the staff from Bog and stamped it on the floor once. “Only goblins with our blood can use it. To everyone else it is just another piece of beautiful stone.”

  
“What does it do?” Bog questioned in awe, his imagination running wild with the possibilities.

  
“Ye will see.” The Bog King smirked.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bog felt like the sun would never begin setting. They had begun their journey to the northern border while it was still daytime. The larger ground goblins and gone before them, covered in mud to hide their scent. Other goblins followed carrying large packs of netting and rope on their backs. Still more rode on dragonflies and a large number of bats. Everyone had their job and a position to take up and even the smallest goblins were participating.

  
Older children were mounted on dragonflies, acting as scouts. They were not going to participate in the battle and were safe from any harm. They needed them to be a visual inflation of their numbers to the Fairies on top of being eyes up high. Bog saw many he knew and some he didn’t. Bramble, Fog, Dusk, Stuff, Fang and Thang were among the ones he glimpsed. They were smaller goblins to begin with, but at this age they were barely bigger than his hand.

  
Thinking of his hand, Bog twisted it palm up to look at the damage. It was scabbed over, but kept breaking. He left little blotches of blood on everything he touched. Bog was sitting behind his father on a red furred bat. It was one of the larger varieties and was harnessed with thin straps of leather with hand holds. Bog’s father was sitting in front of him, his staff held firmly in hand, upright, the base slid into a pocket on the harness to help hold it in place. Bog was a few steps behind him, hands gripping the harness and feet wedged into pockets along the straps. There was no fear of falling, since he had wings himself, but it wouldn’t be a pleasant trip if he was dismounted. Bats flew incredibly fast.

  
The bats flew up high in the trees and then over the tree tops. It was one of the few times Bog had seen the sky without a canopy of limbs and leaves above him and it was beautiful. Streaks of color illuminated the sky and the clouds that were drifting peacefully overhead were gilded in light. The bats were feeding as they flew, chirping and snagging random insects in their path. Then the handlers guided them back down into the trees. It was all too soon for Bog. He sighed to himself as the darkening sky vanished.

  
“Dismount.” The Bog King glanced over his shoulder at his son as the bat began to slow for a landing. Father and son backwinged before the bat caught a branch and swung himself upside down. The Bog King hovered next to the bat’s head, running a clawed hand up under the bat’s chin. The bat chirped affectionately, eyes half closing. “Watch me, Oíche. Be ready if I need ye.” The bat chirped again, dark eyes fixated on his master.

  
The Bog King motioned to Bog to follow him as he flew around the area taking a visual of the goblins who were already in place. This was a quick run to make sure everyone was where they should be as well as checking to see if anyone had seen the wolf. They were confident it would follow the same path it had been seen using the prior evening and morning. It had killed several of the Fairies’ rabbit mounts that were kept in the northern fields the prior evening. It had returned in the morning, following the same path and prowled closer to the nearby elven town.

  
They flew to the edge of the dark forest and clearly saw the massive paw impressions on the grass. Further on, there were two large patches of dried blood in the grass along with a few tufts of brown and white fur. Bog glanced around nervously as his father flew further. They were moving further from the Dark Forest and into the Fairylands.

  
What if this is a trap? Bog’s mind began turning over the possibilities. What if this is all an elaborate trap to assassinate us and take out most of the goblins in the forest? The Bog King had told his subjects that they were going to hunt a wolf, but he had not mentioned the fairies. He did mention that it was possible that Fairies might attempt to fight the Wolf off and they would use their interaction to catch the wolf on guard when it returned on its path. He had stressed that any fairy that was fighting the wolf should not be touched and they were to focus ON the Wolf.

  
Bog understood why his father lied, or rather, didn’t give them the complete truth. The goblins who had escorted them had also only been told some of what was going on with a promise of a reward for their silence. These Goblins had been personally selected for their ability to keep a secret. He also knew the lie that would come later when the tribute began coming. The Fairies saw how powerful they were against the wolf and felt the need to pay tribute to keep the Goblins in their forest. The Goblins would eat this up.

  
There was a gleam of armor plating in the distance and the Bog King rose higher into the air. There were Fairy troops stationed all around the path, out of sight in the tall fields the wolf had walked through the prior evening. Then he noticed the dragonflies that were hovering up high over the village nearby. There were elves mounted on them. There were more spread out around them, keeping their distance.

  
There were more elves in the field armed with spears, bows and arrows. Bog felt a brief surge of panic at their sheer numbers. There were so many of them waiting to attack, but none of them did anything at the sight of his father. They looked up, whispered to themselves and looked terrified.

  
The Bog King raised his staff, letting the last remaining light of the setting sun catch the amber stone. It lit up brilliantly in a brief flash and then there was a return flash of green light trimmed in gold lighting up the sky over the village. It dimmed just enough that Bog could see the Fairy King was standing on the back of a large armored squirrel, holding a sword in the air. The light was coming from the sword.

  
“Impressive.” The Bog King said appreciatively. “He mentioned they had a secret weapon when I said we had one as well.” The Bog King did a rolling flip and headed back toward the edge of the dark forest. Bog fell in line after him, glancing over his shoulder at the relic in the King’s hands. The sight of it made his wings quiver.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The interesting thing about Bog's staff in the movie is just that it does not FIT with the aesthetic of the movie. Whatever it's made out of is NOT actually wood. Either it's enchanted or it's metal... and enchanted. :D Now, I am setting this up as a weapon that is NOT to be used for trivial things like let's say... retrieving love potions or terrorizing small elf villages. It's a weapon of last resort and even at his angriest and most depressed, Bog will not be using it like that. Otherwise, it makes a great weapon to fight with because of its durability. It also has a few other more positive uses.
> 
> Since I gave the goblins their relic, I also had to give one to the Fairy King. And since I have an end goal here - the Fairy Relic does far nastier things than the Amber Staff. This is why there will be a small warning on the next chapter. It's only a couple of sentences, but I want to warn people cringe is coming.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle with the intruding wolf begins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because this chapter made MY skin crawl, I am giving this warning. I am probably overthinking it and it's a let down. I don't know, because I've never had to put a lot of warnings on things because it's not my norm to write in this way. However, I KNOW that this particular thing is one of those things that people can get triggered off of and it's things growing under the skin to be vague. Better safe than sorry. There are only a couple of sentences in the whole thing that are cringe-worthy, but they are there.  
> There's also some descriptions of goblin weapons that do pretty awful things, because I had to think about what kind of weapons could do the most damage to a creature many times larger than a goblin that would also be brutally gobliny, because they consider predators direct competition and no sympathies to be given.  
> Oh.. and the wolf himself... he's a thing of nightmares.

The Bog King and Bog reached the Dark Forest just as a hush fell over it. Frogs and crickets had been singing and now they were silent. The lack of sound made Bog’s armored shoulder plates rise in anticipation. He was going to see this wolf soon. They landed in a tree with a large limb that overhung the marked path and waited.

  
It didn’t take long for a shadowed form to be seen further in the forest coming their way. The wolf was the biggest predator Bog had every seen. It was covered in a thick coat of black fur and looked like it had seen better days. There was an infected scar crossing the left side of its face going from the base of the ear, over a watery blueish white eye, down the muzzle and then it arced down. The muzzle had been torn open and part of the lip was missing so that gleaming white teeth were fully in view through the wound. There were more cuts on the neck. The left foreleg leg also bore a pair of parallel infected slashes. It looked like whatever had injured it had been massive and the wounds were all from one strike.

  
“We’re doing this creature a boon, Bogdan.” The Bog King whispered, resting one arm over Bog’s shoulders as they watched the wretched beast walk down the path. It was coming close and with every step Bog analyzed its weaknesses. It was blind on the left side and it had a slight limp. The Wolf swung his head slowly back and forth, but most of the time kept its right eye tilted to the path it was walking.

  
Bog watched in silence as it began walking beneath them. Then it stopped walking. The Wolf swung its head upward and inhaled deeply. Then it turned to the left and looked at what was around it. It turned to the right and did the same, then it looked up again. Bog felt his father’s hand tighten on his shoulder, a silent reminder to keep quiet and not to move. The wolf inhaled again and snorted, looking directly at them.

  
How had it known where to look? Bog closed his eyes, hoping it couldn’t actually see them from their position on the limb. He and his father would look like nothing more than additional branches. Bog felt a sharp pain in hand and realized that he had been rubbing his itchy palm a little too hard. There was blood on his fingers and the wolf could smell it. Bog pressed his hand into the bark of the limb beneath him, grinding it painfully against the dirt collected in the bark in an effort to kill the tiny giveaway. The wolf stared and sniffed for a few more heartbeats, then it lowered its head and went on its way.

  
Bog breathed a sigh of relief as he and his father repositioned to the other side of the limb to watch the wolf go on its way. The Bog King didn’t seem to notice his son’s error. His attention was on the wolf walking into the carefully laid trap. If he detected it and fled back this way, they would be waiting. If he didn’t, then the wolf that returned would be heavily wounded and easier to dispatch. The Bog King rose to his feet and still facing the wolf, stamped his staff on the limb, the glittering amber jewel flashing brilliantly in the oncoming darkness.

  
Behind them the forest exploded. Bats were everywhere in the limbs of the trees as nets and ropes were dropped. Other nets were being pulled into place to overlap the nets tied to the tree limbs. Small agile goblins were everywhere dragging ropes, climbing the nets and securing them to everything that the rope would reach. In all, there were three sets of nets set up on the path. The heavier nets were in the main path. The ropes they were made of were dyed black so that they blended into the darkness. There were more nets situated loosely along the sides. In all, the nets were arranged in a chute ending in three chambers.

  
If the Wolf broke through the first net it would run right into a second and then a third. The plan was that the first net WOULD break. It was loose and hopefully the wolf would be entangled in the remnants. Goblins were situated all around the path with orders to converge on the wolf the moment it was down. The largest goblins were stationed at various points of the path to jump out and attack the wolf if it broke off the path. There were goblins everywhere. By the time they were done, the dragonflies were in position along with the bats in the trees above the path. Each rider had a spear with a wickedly hooked narrow barb. Rope was tied to the spear and anchors were tied to the end. These riders were to attack the wolf at every opening from a distance. This was a particularly cruel weapon, but necessary. The spear would pierce the wolf’s hide and then the anchor was dropped. It would snag on any number of things and pull out chunks of flesh.

  
The wolf was an invader and it had to be dealt with. The Fairies were more interested in chasing it from their lands than killing it. Goblins had no such sympathies. It needed to be killed outright. The activity slowed and Bog turned back to the dark field. His father had never turned away, waiting patiently for his time to act.

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The Fairy King stood completely still in the wheat field. He could see the shadowy form of the wolf coming at him. It was so big they had no problem getting into position. A gentle breeze kept the young blades of wheat moving and noisy enough to hide the various squads of fairies and elves closing in on it. The small squad that stood behind the Fairy King were some of his best fighters, but the actual royal guards where in front of him, hidden out of sight with spears in hand and swords ready to be drawn. It had been a long time since the Fairy King had faced down a large predator and this one was only a step below dealing with a bear. Bears were massive, but Fairies being so small could inflict a great amount of irritation with poisonous barbs without suffering any casualties. Wolves, on the other hand, could kill multiple fairies and elves within seconds.

  
The shadow moved slowly. The wolf lifted its head and sniffed every few steps. It was taking its time. Sweat was building up under the Fairy King’s armor but he kept his eyes on it. He had his sword ready and in hand, the blade faintly glowing. Anticipation made his heart beat faster and he breathed slowly to keep himself calm. Then the massive head broke the wheat in front of him.

  
“NOW!” The Fairy King stepped forward the blade exploding in a golden green light. The Wolf backed up immediately, its lips pulling back in a startled snarl. Its good eye was momentarily blinded. The Fairy King flew forward slashing at the wolf’s injured left leg. The blade seared through flesh and the fairy rose quickly to deliver another slash along the back. At the same time, the wolf became aware that it was under attack. Spears were thrown from all directions, most finding their target in its belly and legs.

  
The wolf made a noise more like a shriek than a yelp as it whirled around and charged back the way it came with the King following at his haunches. More spears caught it in the chest and legs, but they were merely thorns compared to the wounds the Fairy King had inflicted. Vines were sprouting from the slashes and spreading quickly around its legs, threatening to tangle them and send it crashing to the ground. They were growing inside its skin, quickly twining through muscle and working their way to the bone.

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The howl of the wolf made Bog cringe. It was in great pain from whatever the fairies had done to it and now it was coming their way in a stumbling run. It screeched again and the Bog King prepared to act. The Fairy King was still flying over the wolf, diving in along with mounted elves throwing spears. The light from the sword illuminated the wolf’s full form and Bog’s eyes widened as he saw the vines erupting from the fur along the wolf’s haunches. It made his skin crawl. This was awful! He didn’t want to see this! He gripped his staff in his hands and looked at his father. The Bog King was completely focused, his jaw set and teeth bared in a vicious predatory snarl.

  
The wolf was moving so fast that it missed the path. For a brief moment, it was free of the pursuing fairies and elves as they veered off from the edge of the dark forest. It slammed into a tree trunk with so much force it was knocked off its feet and momentarily dazed. Now the Bog King acted. This wasn’t part of their primary plan, but he had formulated multiple backups to take into account something like this.

  
“Come on!” The bog King flew down and landed in front of the wolf, his staff held up between the wolf and himself. The amber center stone glowed. The wolf shook its head and rose looking directly at the Bog King. It snarled and advanced on him. “Come to me!” The Bog King repeated taking a flying leap back toward the path. Goblins were trying to circle around behind the wolf, but the fairies were closer. The Wolf crept forward fur bristling all over, fangs bared. The Bog King had his full attention. The Wolf’s eyes seemed to glaze over and it froze, fixated on the staff.

  
Then the Fairy King came down and sent the blade of his sword slashing over the back of the wolf’s head. Vines erupted from the new wound. Pain broke the staff’s hold on the wolf and it lunged forward, swinging its head at The Bog King. He swung his staff sideways with a roar to meet the wolf’s charge. Bog watched in horror as the scene played out before him in slow motion.

  
His father was in the wolf’s mouth. The wolf charged forward, tendrils of smoke coming from its mouth and then it caught on fire as streaks of broken skin around its muzzle and head lit up from the inside. The wolf tossed its head and the Bog King flew free to land just off the path. The wolf howled and blundered forward into the first net. Its paws caught in the netting and it thrashed violently as goblins converged on it.

  
Bog flew to his father and arrived at the same time Oíche landed. The bat was squeaking in a panic. The Bog King was moving, his hand still on his staff as he attempted to rise and join the battle. His armor was pierced in multiple places and blood was flowing, but he stood and started forward. Bog threw himself in front of his father, hands up on his chest. “They have it handled, Father!” The Bog King blinked and looked down at his son in a clear daze. There was blood all over his face from a massive gash that crossed his right eye. Only one bright blue eye looked back at Bog. The Bog King glanced at his goblins dispatching the wolf in a frenzy. Its cries had rapidly died down into a wet gurgle.

  
“Do you need assistance?” The Fairy King alighted in the Dark Forest right in front of them. He had sheathed his sword and stepped toward them.

  
“NO.” The Bog King erupted furiously. He could not be seen being assisted by fairies, no matter how hurt he was. He lifted the hand not holding his staff and gestured at the Fairy King. “Leave now!”

  
Both Bog and the Fairy King went pale as they noticed that the Bog King’s hand was missing, severed at the joint. The Fairy King looked at Bog and pulled a cloth from a pocket beneath his armor. He threw it at Bog and took to the air. Bog immediately retrieved the cloth and rushed to his father to wrap it around the bloody stump that he was still holding up in shock. Bog had to push his far heavier father toward the bat who was trying his best to lay as flat as possible on the ground to be loaded. The bat’s harness was made to be adjusted to carry an injured goblin, but Bog’s efforts were hampered by fearful panicked tears flooding his eyes.

  
Then a strong breeze rustled the grass around them and Bog looked up into the eyes of one of the goblin’s owls. The owl hooted in concern and Bog clambered up onto its harness as it took his father gently in one of her talons. He didn’t fight it. The Bog King wedged his staff behind his legs, over the owl’s talons in case he lost consciousness. He was too injured to remain here and the owl would be the fastest way to the castle. He never let it go. Bog gripped the harness tightly shouting at the owl, “Home as fast as ye can fly!” The owl rose in a powerful whirl of wings and the bat flew after it.

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The Fairy King watched the owl leave with some concern. The Bog King was not a pleasant fellow, but he had stood before the wolf and that was not something the Fairy King would soon forget. The Fairy King returned to his troops, his stomach not willing to get a good view of what was happening to the wolf. It was dead. That’s all that he needed to know. He needed to see to his own people now.

  
Torches lit up the field as fairies and elves were accounted for and those with injuries were rushed to the nearby village for treatment. There were remarkably few injuries and none were severe. The wolf had knocked a few fairies out of the air and a couple of elves had been hit by its paws. The Fairy King’s thoughts went back to the Bog King. His injuries had been severe.

  
The Fairy King hoped that he recovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love bats and owls so those are what was chosen to work with the goblins. Bats of course, because bats always get a bad rap for such amazing creatures. Since the Fairies have squirrels and rabbits... thinking of that, it's a little amusing that the Fairies with their wings have ground/climbing creatures and I gave the goblins who are mostly ground based fliers. :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog learns where he came from and why his father came to the Dark Forest.

The Bog King was still awake when the owl landed at the castle, but he couldn’t stand. While there had been goblin healers at the site of the battle, there were more waiting for anyone brought in injured. They were prepared and swarmed on the Bog King the moment the owl released him. Bog was pushed aside as goblin healers that his father had trained used what he had taught them to quickly stabilize him. Blood clotting salves were spread into his open punctures and moss was held over them. The Bog King calmly instructed them to bind his missing hand at the wrist and offered little notes here and there, suggesting healing plants to bring to him. He never let go of his staff, holding it firmly in his remaining hand as though drawing strength from its presence. It took Bog a moment to realize that was probably true.

  
When the healers were satisfied that their king was stable, they transported him inside the castle and to his room. Griselda met them in a worried state and despite her husband’s protests that he was going to be ok, became fixated on his missing hand and if it would grow back or not. The Bog King was adamant that it would not, but it wasn’t a problem. Bog kept back from the conversation and soon the door closed and he was left alone in the hallway.

  
Bog lingered nearby, still worried about his father. He replayed what had happened in his mind. His father had been lucky that he only lost his hand and an eye. The wolf’s teeth had punctured his armor in half a dozen places and if it had been able to fully close its mouth he would have been crushed. It was the staff that had saved him, most likely wedged into the back of the wolf’s mouth to keep it from closing its jaws all the way. How had his father managed to think that fast? It was awe inspiring. How could Bog ever hope to be as amazing as his father? He sighed and looked at the closed door. The healers said he was going to survive. The Bog King was resilient. Still, he had come close to dying tonight and then what? A boy would take his place as the new Bog King? A boy who couldn’t control his anger? A boy who forgot that when hunting you do not leave strong scents like blood for the prey to smell?

  
He lifted his hand and looked at his cut up palm. It was puffy and red beneath the dirt. Not only that, but now that he was looking at it and acknowledging it, it began to ache and throb. Bog grumbled, gripping his hand in his other hand and squeezing it to dull the pain. He left the hall to go down to see a healer about salves and bandages to deal with the infection.

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In the weeks that followed, the Bog King did his ruling from the bedchamber. Griselda would not allow him to get up per the healers’ orders that he needed to rest. He was weak, but still alert. The goblins doted on him to a point of being smothering with their desire to make their king better. They scoured the Dark Forest for rare herbs for healing and delicacies they knew the Bog King enjoyed. The biggest prize was a number of wooden crates left at the entrance to the Dark Forest. Bog had to deal with the explanation of what it was. Tribute from the fairies. He gave them his father’s words and recorded everything in the crates, then distributed it according to his father’s instruction.

  
There were two extra crates marked to be delivered specifically to the Bog King. The first one was full of fairy healing herbs, draughts, and medicines for the king. After they were tested for poisonous contamination, they were administered. The Bog King was excessively excited about these items. Many were things that did not grow in the Dark Forest or compounds that he had never heard of. They sped up his healing so that he was able to move around his chambers and sit at his desk to work for short periods of time.

  
The other box was full of fairy sweets, pastries, breads, and a book of recipes for everything in the box. This was another treasured item for the Bog King. These were also tested for poisons. Bog wasn’t sure what to make about his father’s excitement as he stuffed a gooey sweet tart into his mouth. The Bog king had Griselda and Bog try them as well. It was fairy food! It was always too sweet and wow was that tart creamy and so light it melted in his mouth.

  
The Bog King had duplicates made of the all the recipes, medicine and baked goods, then they were distributed to the healers and the kitchen. Soon, the lovely smell of baked goods and vegetables joined that of roasting meat before meal times. Goblins could eat anything, but it turned out the more varied diet this early in the spring made for happier, healthier goblins.

  
Bog soon came to the conclusion that if his father had not taught so many goblins to cook, heal, read and write, then their way of life would have died with him. Everyone had their job and everyone did it well. With their king injured his subjects worked well together, a testament to his effect on them.

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“Bogdan.” Bog had just followed his mother into their chambers to assist in bringing up a plate of berry filled pastries from the kitchen. He also hoped he would be offered one. They were hot and fresh out of the oven. Griselda fussed over her husband’s comfort while Bog placed the tray on a table next to the bed his father was reclining in. “Why don’t ye stay and listen to somethin’ I’ve been wantin’ to tell ye.”

  
Bog pulled a chair beside the bed. Griselda grinned happily at her husband and son. “I’ll leave you two alone.”  
“Aye, that would be fine. Ye know the story.” The Bog King lifted his bandaged stump and waved it in front of his face. “Not as good as this story, but one ye need to hear, Bog.” Griselda nodded and left the room humming a happy tune. It was spring and she had things to oversee.

  
The Bog King took a long look at his waiting son. His face was wrapped in bandages that concealed the healing wound and the damage that had been done. His right eye was gone. His left was as bright as ever. His face and his arm bore the more serious injuries. The skin beneath his armor on the other wounds had already healed and his armor would begin recovering after his yearly molt, which would not happen again until early spring the following year. They would be weak spots in his armor that would need to be covered for the next few years.

  
“Like ye, I was born a prince of my people. Unlike you, I was the youngest of a large family and would never hold the title of King.” The Bog King settled back against the soft pillow his wife had just been adjusting, his wings splayed loosely at his side. Bog noticed that they were heavily damaged and there were rips in them. His father would not be able to fly until his next molt, when they would be replaced. “I didn’t mind. I did not have those aspirations. I wanted to advise my elder brothers and sisters and use my strengths to support them and our people.”

  
The Bog King’s eye clouded over and his gaze fell to the fox fur blanket covering the bed. “I was young and I was naive. You see, all of the knowledge that I have and have shared was mostly stolen from humans who lived near our villages. They did the work. We learned from them and we learned well. Knowledge makes life easier and knowledge makes life harder.” Bog listened intently, unsure where this was going.

  
“Humans are not generally that bad. They are afraid of us ye know, but kings further back than I have lived decided to forbid interactions with the humans. We had been secretive, but someone was captured and when one of us was caught it gave them proof there were more and they have ridiculous stories about what happens when they catch one of us. That one was rescued, but the entire village had to be relocated for fear of a human blunderin’ into it.” The Bog King shook his head slowly. “It was a foolish decision. Over time, the humans moved near our new village. Everyone was worried, but they never came near our lands. I did something forbidden out of curiosity along with a few friends. We flew into human homes and spied on them frequently. We watched their silly magic portrait frames and learned their language. We played pranks and we stole food.

  
Then one day, we flew into a home that was not quite a home. There were maps everywhere and on the wall was a map I recognized. It had features of the land we resided in, but it was segmented with lines with numbers. I did not know what it meant so I returned to this place every night and learned. I learned to read their building maps and then decided to spy on the humans and listen to their conversations. It was then that I learned what the map meant. They were goin’ to destroy the entire area and build homes for humans on it. They were goin’ to cut down many of the trees.

  
When I understood the danger, I had a choice to make. A choice which I had made the moment I found out this information. I went to the King, my own Father and I told him what I had seen.” There was a sharp edge of pain in the Bog King’s voice. “His advisers lept on me for interactin’ with humans and argued that I was a child who broke the rules so why should anyone listen to me. I didn’t have any proof. They accused me of plotting division and seeking to uproot us so that I could gain favor with my father and bypass the normal succession and become King.” The Bog King sighed. “I could not control myself after the false accusations. I raised my voice and advanced on the throne in anger and the advisers called for guards to take me, all clamorin’ to the king that I was a threat to the throne and filling his ears with lies. I only wanted to help save my people, but no one listened.”

  
“I was banished from my home and was never to return again.” The Bog King settled his eye on Bog, letting the seriousness of this sentence be understood. “The only places I could go were where the humans lived and the Dark forest to our west. I would not go to the human place and took to the edges of the Dark Forest. Unlike now, they were not patrolled and I was able to live fine. The goblins avoided me at the time. I could fly so they were never a danger to me and most ignored my presence. I secretly flew back home, just to see if the trees were still standin’. They were still there through a summer and a fall, but I could see the land around it being cut down in sections.

  
It was early spring when I returned to my home tree and found the tree had been cut down and the stump had been ground below the earth and was covered in remnants of the tree.” The Bog King paused looking incredibly sad. “And what was left of my people. They had hidden in the stump when the humans great monsters came to eat the trees. I was alone when I gathered the dead and did the appropriate rites. I found my father’s body and our relic, which I used to properly send everyone off and not leave a trace of our existence for any human to find if they looked too close.”

  
Bog stared at his father, imagining the horrific scene that he had endured alone. “Ye have seen what our relic does, Bogdan. It does other things, but the primary use is to incinerate whatever it is aimed at. The other is the control of animals.” Bog blinked at this information. “That is how I won over the goblins to follow me.”

  
“Ye used it on the goblins?” Bog blinked again, not liking how this sounds.

  
“No, I did not use it on the goblins.” The Bog King smirked. “A people must follow their king of their own free will. I used it to rid the Dark Forest of its larger predators like weasels, foxes, snakes and the like. It mesmerizes and calms animals makin’ them easier to capture or kill. Usin’ the staff we tamed the bats and owls for our service. I would never use it on a sentient creature like ourselves. Blind devotion from magic is not somethin’ I ever want. I get it by servin’ our people.”  
Bog nodded slowly.

  
“Ye may go now, Bog.” His father settled back further into the cushions around him. His body noticeably creaked and popped with the movement. “I’m tired and think I’ll rest for a wee bit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I considered having Bog's father die here, but he had a story to tell which I didn't fully know until he told it. 
> 
> Also, I just really enjoy writing him and when he's gone... he's gone... and Bog is going to be awful to deal with.
> 
> While I believe there is a veil that turns humans back from finding where they live, I feel like it's strongest where the King's live and as a human civilization encroaches, it wears away at the veil and weakens it. Machines, full of iron, can do awful things to a veil and those who live in it.
> 
> Writing chapter 12 now.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miscommunications occur, some of them intentional, some unintentional but they will have severe ramifications in the future.

“Marianne.” The Fairy Queen sounded exasperated and at her wit’s end as she walked after her little wild child. Dawn clung to the hem of her dress and was walking steadily beside her.

“Momma! I’ll take care of him!” Marianne wailed, turning to look over her shoulder at her mother. In her arms she had a tiny baby gecko. It was pale pink with translucent skin and large gold flecked eyes and Marianne just loved it. “I found him and he came to me!” She was gripping it under its front arms with the hind legs and tail hanging.

“Marianne, please take it outside and let it go.”

“But he’s a babeeee!” Marianne lifted her tear filled eyes to her mother, hoping she would relent.

“Marianne.” The Fairy Queen summoned up a bit more inner strength and put force behind her words.

“Finnnne!” Marianne left in a huff for the closest door. The Fairy Queen all but collapsed into a nearby chair. Little Dawn patted her knees and bit her lower lip while looking up at her mother.

“It’s okay, Dawn.” Her mother smiled gently at her, but didn’t move to lift her. She didn’t have the strength to carry Dawn anymore and couldn’t even assist her up onto her lap.

“Momma.” Dawn laid her head down against her mother’s knee and smiled happily. The Fairy Queen let her hands drift over the top of her blonde haired daughter’s beautiful thick waves. Her lip began to tremble as a heavy sadness fell upon her. She had two beautiful daughters that were the light of her life. She had held on so long. Dawn had just turned two and Marianne was five. The Fairy Queen worried about her girls, but she was so tired.

Marianne was like no child The Fairy Queen had known in her life. She was a girl who kept trying to join the boys in learning how to fight and play soldier. She was also very good at it. She had knocked a little blond headed fairy boy onto his rear for picking on another girl. Roland Brier was it? His family had recently moved to the Fairylands and were very active in the local community, but the boy was full of himself and spoiled. The Fairy Queen made a mental note to mention this boy to her husband.

Marianne still liked to wear nice fairy girl clothes, but those clothes were often ripped, covered in mud, or full of grass stains by evening. She just did not care about keeping clean and out of trouble. No, her little Marianne did what pleased her and while she was nice to everyone, she had to be tamed or she would never fit into her role.

She was going to be Queen one day. The Fairy Queen smiled at the thought. She would never see Marianne wear her crown, but she had no doubt her little girl would be a phenomenal ruler. She just had to learn to play the games of court. She would be good at it.

“Moooomma.” Marianne’s voice broke her mother’s thoughts. The Fairy Queen looked up into the dark eyes of a baby garden snake. It was writhing about in Marianne’s arms as she struggled to keep hold of it. Dawn was staring at it in awe. It’s tiny black tongue flickered out and tickled the Fairy Queen’s nose. “Can I keep him?!”

The Fairy Queen closed her eyes and smiled, wishing for more strength.

She had a very special daughter.

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The funeral was held less than a week later.

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Everyone attended and viewed their beloved Queen before she would be taken to her final resting place. There was not a dry eye in the Kingdom for many months. Dawn was too young to fully understand what had happened and Marianne, even though she was still a child began hovering around her younger sister, trying to take care of her. Their father was so heartbroken that he shut himself away for a time, depending on the children’s nursemaids to take care of them while he grieved.

Looking at his little girls reminded the Fairy King of his wife and how much he missed her. He had years of knowing she was going to pass away before her time and still it was not enough time to prepare. He neglected his work and turned to food to ease his sorrow. There were things he normally signed off on that were neglected. The monthly tribute order to the Dark Forest, that the Fairy King personally allocated with regard to the time of year, sat on his desk.

The council that was normally delegated to help him in his workload did not even notice that something important had been overlooked as they took on their routine accountings. Everyone’s attention was in assisting their King in lightening his load so he could take the time he needed to grieve.

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Bog was in charge of retrieving the monthly tribute from the fairies and distributing it. At 14 years of age, due to the monthly tribute, he had molted three times, shot up in stature and bulk. His shoulders had widened and his pauldrons had become fully formed. He didn’t look like a scrawny version of his father anymore. If anything, he was almost his equal. He bore a few new scars and thorny knobs in his skin as well. His voice was changing from that of a child to an adult and both his mother and father teased him about it when his voice broke, which was far better than other things they could tease him about.

He did not talk as much if he could avoid it, for fear his voice would break at an inopportune moment. He liked the change, but wished it would stop retreating into a squeak when he needed to sound commanding. Bog began resorting to growls and grunts to avoid saying a lot. It worked well with the goblins, but not much with his mother. She pestered him constantly about his beautiful voice and made him sing for her in private just to make her happy.

Bog wasn’t convinced he had a voice worth listening to. But it made his mother smile and he had to admit, in private, singing felt nice. Even his father complimented him on it and was not dismissive. He mentioned that being able to sing was a requirement of all young men from his family, because they had to propose to their future wives in public with a song befitting them. Bog had shut down at the last part and scowled.

He wasn’t going to be proposing to any girls so it didn’t matter if he knew how to sing or not. Deep down, the thought set off the idea that he wished he could do that. It sounded like such a wonderful thing to share with someone and just feel that love that would make him want to do it. Bog grumbled and shoved the notion down, crushing it. Not going to happen. The older he got, the uglier he felt. Every spring that passed just made him angrier and angrier inside. Nobody looked at him and he was honestly too shy about such things to approach anyone he felt remotely interesting. He had female friends, but none of them thought about him in that way. They didn’t even seem to consider it. He was not what they were looking for.

Bog was already grumpy when he went to check for the monthly tribute early in the morning. The tribute was late. Two weeks late and his people were in the castle complaining of being hungry and wanting to know where the food was. There were so many mouths to feed and they had grown to depend on the tribute. Bog paced around the entrance to the Dark Forest, grumbling as he spotted fairies entering the forest further away.

What were they doing? Bog flew toward the group and landed up high in a tree to watch them. The fairies were sneaking into HIS forest? Then he saw what they were after. Primroses. The colorful flowers always bloomed at this time of year and all along the border between the fairyland and the Dark Forest. The fairies were going for the pink ones. Bog scowled. What were they doing with the primroses? His curiosity was getting the better of him. Bog walked further along the limb, dropped to a lower one and made his way to position himself to block the fairies. He would find out what they were doing and get a good scare in while he was at it.

There were five fairies, surprisingly all girls, plucking a primrose petal each. Girls. Bog rolled his eyes. Flighty fairy girls. They were beautiful with their multicolored wings, brightly colored dresses and fair skin. Bog almost felt guilty for what he was going to do. Almost.

“Stop!” Bog dropped from the tree right behind one of the girls. Before she could react he had an arm around her and was pointing at the other four. “What are ye planning to do with those primroses?” The four girls shrieked and grabbed for each other. The girl in his arms shook with fear and began crying. Fairy girls. A goblin girl wouldn’t wilt into tears. Bog sighed heavily, then bared his teeth at them trying to be menacing, but not TOO menacing. “I’m not going to hurt ye. I just want to know what ye are doing with the primroses. What use do ye have with them?”

One of the girls stepped forward bravely, “Please, Mr. Goblin, we’re taking them to the Sugar Plum Fairy to make love potions.”

“Love potions?” That was not the answer Bog had expected. “What do ye do with love potions?”

“Well, we were planning on a little mischief and seeing if we could get boys to kiss some frogs.” The same fairy girl stared down at the ground in front of her. Bog made a perplexed face at her. Fairies had a weird idea of what was humorous and the thought was considerably offensive to him.

Bog pushed the fairy girl in his arms forward with a snarl. “Get out of my forest!” He flew up and to the side to allow them to leave the way they had come. The girls rushed down the path without their petals.

Love potion? This was the first time Bog had heard of such a thing. He grunted and looked down at the discarded petals. The girl had said it was for a prank, but how could a silly joke get fairy girls to cross over into his forest? It was only a few steps from their land, but everything the shadows of the Dark Forest touched were considered goblin territory. Bog shook his head and sighed. He had more important things to deal with, like where the tribute was. If he did not do something soon, word of the missing food would reach his father and Bog felt personally responsible for it.

Bog flew up high enough to see the closest elf village in the distance. The fairy girls he had chased off were nowhere to be seen. There were farmers in the fields seeing to their crops. Everyone looked healthy in that village while his own people were thin and a few of the younger ones were ill. Early spring always found the goblins at their worst with the forest just beginning to awaken. Their hunting was limited at this time and they foraged and scavenged. Goblins could eat anything, but Bog knew well his father detested rotten meat. Neither he or his father had the stomach for it.

The idea struck Bog that he could get the tribute himself. The fairies had promised it and broken their word so he was in the right to take it by force. They would take the full tribute from this elf town. Bog had the numbers of everything they should have received. He was sure the Fairy King would see to it the other towns redistributed what this town would need if they took too much. His father would hit multiple towns when he raided, but Bog wanted to be more efficient. He justified his thoughts as he plotted. His father had been relieved to not have to just take things from them, but Bog was not his father. He had to think for himself.

They would have what was theirs. He flew back toward home with thoughts in his head about how he was going to organize the goblins in secret for this raid. He did not want his father to know the tribute had not been delivered.

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When Bog was out of sight, the five Fairy girls quickly snuck back into the Dark Forest and retrieved the primrose petals they had plucked. They giggled mischievously and left as quickly as they had come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the Fairy Queen passes away. I didn't want to drag it on.  
> I even found a way to mention Roland. :D He'll probably show up more later. I actually had some things planned that I decided not to pursue in regards to Roland. That plan was that Roland's family came from the same colony that Bog's father came from and I had a way to explain it, however, I decided to go a completely different route. That will be covered much, much later.  
> I have a 15 year old daughter so I know allll about moody teenagers.  
> I had to go and research Primroses and was surprised they come in sooo many colors, but for the sake of this story, it's only the PINK ones that work in a love potion, however, the others are good for other things which I may mention when we get to that "Fateful Day". I also had to check out the time of year they bloom and d'oh, poor Bog isn't going to be happy....  
> And finally, Bog has the best intentions to save his father worry...


	10. Willow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bog King brings in a new student to help with the book keeping, because apparently goblins do a lot of book keeping.

Bog had a schedule to keep to and new jobs to be done on a daily basis. His responsibilities had increased while his father was recovering from his injuries. Goblins were most active at dusk and dawn. They slept for several hours when it was the darkest at night. During the day, they retreated into the depths of castle where it was cool to sleep away their afternoons. During the summer when the days were longer they slept longer at daytime. Winter of course was a time of hibernation because it was too cold for most of them to tolerate.  
Mornings were spent getting up and preparing for the day. There was a time set by for settling disputes and listening to the concerns of the smarter goblins. The Bog King had learned long ago to write down a list of responses for the simpler goblins who would come with sometimes ridiculous, easy to resolve complaints. It was very much like dealing with children at times. This made for more time to listen to scouting reports and real issues that needed to be dealt with.  
Bog would go out for a morning flight when he was done and he desperately needed it. His father was present for the reports and did most of the settling, but on occasion he would turn to Bog and ask his thoughts and Bog had to be thinking the entire time to respond immediately. It was mentally taxing work, but necessary to keep the peace in the Dark Forest.  
The Bog King had a razor sharp mind, but his injuries had taken their toll. He was slower now and moved with less determination and strength. Bog tried to ignore what he saw. His father had always been so strong. Seeing him like this was painful. When Bog returned from his flight, he would join his father in the main classroom and work on the daily books, filling in details from the scouts that the scribes had written down. There were so many things to record and each had to be recorded in a different book.  
There was a book for each elf town near their borders. There was a book that held summaries of each elf town’s citizens and what crops they grew or what animals they raised. There was a book for border incursions. There was a book filled with the population of their forest with each goblin type recorded, their individual names, their allegiance to the King, their ages, family relations, everything. Then there were the books keeping track of their owls and bats, which ones were breeding, how many eggs or young they had and how many survived. Books on herbs and where they grew and what was in season and where it had been found last. New books to be filled in. There were so many books!  
Bog liked books, but after several hours of staring at them and entering numbers he wanted to burn them all. Following their book time, there was typically a brief sparring session with his father where he would teach him a new technique, method, or weapon, then a very long afternoon nap or just time to relax. Then repeat the same schedule in the evening and into the night.  
Today, Bog found his father sitting with a new student, preparing her to begin working on learning to write. He had a workbook pulled out for her to see the letters and was instructing her in how to correctly hold a piece of chalk on a rough piece of slate.  
“Good morning, Bog.” The Bog King greeted his son immediately. “We have a lot to do today and I’m startin’ a new student who is going to help us with our book keepin’ once she learns how to write. She’s very intelligent.”  
The goblin girl turned to smile up at Bog. She was one of the frog types with long drooping cheekflaps that ended in lacy looking fringes. Her eyes struck Bog immediately and he felt his insides turn into mush as he looked into them. She was smart and it showed, probably smarter than any of the other goblins he had seen his father teach so far. Bog’s mouth dropped open momentarily in awe, unable to think.  
“Ah, ehm.” Bog quickly looked away, realizing that he was staring. He fidgeted with his hands and just stood there. “Good morning.”  
“Her name is Willow.”  
Willow. Bog smiled stupidly to himself as he took a seat near his father and picked up the first book on the pile. He opened it and was struck by how everything looked like gibberish. What was WRONG with him?! He blinked a few times in a panic and then realized the book was upside down. Bog flipped it over hoping his father wouldn’t notice. His cheeks were burning and there was a fluttering sensation in his stomach.  
This was going to be a long morning.

“Bogdan! Where is your mind?!”  
Currently rattling around in my skull. Bog staggered back holding a hand to his throbbing head. His father’s practice staff had caught him on the right side of the head and smashed his ear. His ear was burning and ringing form the impact and his head wasn’t doing much better. Father was slower than he had been, but he was still faster and stronger than Bog, even missing his left hand. The Bog King had strapped armor plating onto his left arm that had short round knobs of metal fixed in them. He was experimenting with new methods of making use of his left arm without a hand and was getting very creative with it. Bog had been on the receiving end of those knobs several times and was grateful they weren’t the spikes he saw his father designing for actual combat.  
Bog grumbled and just could not keep his mind on his lesson. It didn’t help that every way his father was attacking was completely new to him. He had years of fighting his father. Why was this so hard? Bog managed to meet a strike from his father’s staff and got a got a knee in the chest as a reward. The Bog King grumbled at his son and gave him a disappointed look. “Are ye sick?”  
Bog shook his head, “Nah, don’t think so. Just not in the mood, Father.”  
The Bog King nodded slowly setting the staff against the wall of the training room. “Get some food and some rest, Lad.” He said nothing more and left Bog alone.  
Bog rubbed his still hurting head. He was used to being knocked around, but he felt that his father had expected him to block that blow and wasn’t taking it easy on him. Growling to himself, Bog set his staff next to his father’s. Willow. He had never noticed her before. She wasn’t one of the goblins that lived in the castle. He would have seen her. Bog wondered where she was staying and if she would be down in the main dining hall getting lunch right now. He could go down and look and maybe she would notice him and invite him to sit with her. Bog grumbled and leaned his head against the training room wall. Or she would just ignore him.  
She had been pleasant to watch while she worked to learn what the Bog King was teaching her and she showed that she had great aptitude for learning her letters. It would not take long for her to learn to read, write, do simple math and then begin working in the books once his father felt she was ready. The had never had a goblin who could handle that type of work. Bogd banged his head lightly on the wall several times, grimacing at his indecision.

Evening found Bog with a handful of goblins he had hand selected for the private mission. There were a dozen of the biggest goblins he could find along with a variety of much smaller and faster goblins. The small goblins were mounted on dragonflies and the larger ones were following on foot. All of them were carrying sacks to hold what Bog had told them to retrieve from the storehouses. Bog smiled as the approached the village. This would be easy and he would have everything back to how it should be.  
The goblins advanced on the unsuspecting elves under the cover of night.

Morning found the storehouses completely emptied. The elf town was filled with the sounds of elves awakening to find that nothing had been left. The Goblins had knocked down the back walls of several storage buildings and took everything. Bog had given them verbal lists of what he wanted and they got the items right, but since most goblins can’t count, just took everything they could carry, which turned out to be everything. Bog had also happened upon several crate of books, school books, blank books, writing books and a box of ledger books his father liked. They had stolen ledger books before for their use so Bog thought nothing of liberating these.  
Bog saw to it everything was distributed properly and when left with a lot more grain, produce, and fabric than expected, had them taken to a store room for later distribution. Everything had turned out as planned and Bog carried an arm full of books up to the classroom hoping that Willow was there so he could present one of the blank practice books to her personally.

“They took everything!” An elf proclaimed to the fairy council. There were four fairies in all, three men and one woman, and each one was fixated on the elf. “All the grain! All of the fabric! All of the school books that were just delivered last night! Everything!” The elf was beside himself as he gestured wildly to get the point across. “We have nothing!”  
“Normally when they raid, the only take a small portion, because they know what would happen if they took it all. The King might turn a blind eye to small amounts to keep the peace, but not this amount!” One of the councilmen puffed himself up in anger, slamming a hand down on the long desk that separated the council from the elf.  
“We’ll get new books printed as quickly as we can.” A councilwoman stated shuffling papers in front of her.  
“And we will also make sure you get enough food to get by until you can refill your stocks.” One of the men leaned forward and reassured the elf.  
“We will send troops out to do heavier patrols on the border as well. Now that we know they are raiding one town, they will likely look to another soon.” The last councilman rose to his feet. He was wearing the typical green armor of the Fairy army and immediately rose to talk to a guard stationed outside the door to the council room.  
“This will be handled immediately.” The first councilman assured the Elf. “You can go home and let everyone know everything will be okay.” The elf fretted for a moment, wringing his hands. He nodded and left still looking worried.  
“We should let the King know this happened.” The councilwoman glanced from one member to the next looking deeply concerned. “They have never stolen so much.”  
“Absolutely not.” The third councilman returned to his seat. “We will take care of this and leave the king to his mourning.” The other council members looked over at the third in silence, then they all nodded in agreement.  
“Next!” The first councilman called out.  
“Someone needs to trap that imp that keeps showing up in Buckleberry!” Another elf entered the room, this one a female who was wearing an apron and covered in flour. “It keeps stealing my pies!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few months ago, I ran across the random comment on tumblr: You have to wonder what the Bog King did to get such an infamous reputation.
> 
> Aside from the expected, just being angry and terrorizing strangers - he stole a bunch of books. :D :D :D


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grandparents are amazing.

“Marianne. Sit like a lady.”

Marianne was trying, but sitting still took a lot out of her. She desperately wanted to please her Gramma. Dawn was sitting nearby playing with Grappa. She had it easier, since she was still a toddler. Marianne on the other hand was a big girl and her grandparents expected her to act like one. Gramma looked exactly like her mother, just older. She had the same dusky purple wings that her mother had and the same as Marianne. Her blonde hair had long turned to a silvery white and she was a dignified fairy. She smiled affectionately at Marianne and was busily brushing her hair. “Dear, you need to carry a comb with you. You have your father’s hair, all thick and wild!” She laughed and patted Marianne on the shoulder.

“Do I have to go to school today?” Marianne tilted her head so she could see her Gramma’s face. She was gently guided back to looking ahead as Gramma worked on her hair.

“Yes, you need to be around children your own age.”

“Are we going to see Daddy today?” Marianne ventured timidly, biting her lower lip. She had asked this question every day, multiple times a day. She loved her grandparents, but she missed her father. It was nearing midsummer and there was going to be a festival with games and dancing and oh so many pretty fairies and elves dressed up for the eve. 

“I don’t know, Dear.” Gramma worried her lower lip, closing her eyes for a moment. They had lost their daughter and temporarily stepped in to help their grandchildren, but they did not feel it was their place to confront their son-in-law and tell him what to do when he was in such deep mourning. Eventually, they would have to, but not today. For now, Marianne and Dawn needed them.

“Miss Dada.” Dawn whimpered into her Grappa’s arms. “Miss Momma.” Little Dawn was a heartbreaking sight to her grandparents and to just about anyone. One moment she was the happiest fairy child imaginable, laughing and lighting up the castle. The next she was sniffling and looking for her parents. It was bad enough she had lost one parent forever. Having the other parent nearby and shut down to everything was even worse. Dawn had been told that her mother had gone away in the never ending sleep and she could never return, but she still looked for her in every bedroom as though the other fairies had hidden her in the castle.

Marianne had been given a more appropriate truth and while she understood to a point, it was a hard thing to take at her age. She looked at her little sister and felt her eyes begin to water, because she understood death more than her baby sister and what it meant. It was the fact that their father was THERE and in his room that Dawn thought their mother was also still there… locked in a room of her own choice.

“Oh good gods, why is everyone so dour in here!” Both Marianne and Dawn jumped and squealed happily at the voice. 

“Joan!” Gramma and Grappa exclaimed.

The Fairy that entered the room was a sight to be seen. She was a little older than Gramma and Grappa, with wild brown hair that was tied up with a colorful ribbon and pinned in place with a beautiful, somewhat garish flower. She carried herself with the bold air of a Queen and fluttered her beautiful peach and gold wings behind her. She wore an array of colorful silks and her presence along lit up the room and filled it with energy.

“Grandma!” Marianne and Dawn screamed happily. They ran up to her and wrapped their arms around her legs. 

“Good morning, Dears.” Grandma affectionately leaned down and hugged them together. “Grandma’s here. I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to be here earlier. I love you and missed you.”

Gramma sighed and smiled. “I suppose there’s no school today.”

“I should say not.” Joan grinned. “Now. Where is my son?” Gramma and Grappa looked at each for a long, silent moment.

“We have a lot to talk about.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Joan crossed the hall to the Fairy King’s chambers with a scowl fixed firmly on her face. She knocked on the King’s door three times. Enough to get his attention.  
“I am not to be bothered.” The king stated from the other side of the door.

“I am not here to bother you, Dagda. I am here to drag you out of there by your ear.” Joan growled at the door. There was a rustling sound from the other side followed by several thudding sounds then the sound of the door latch being removed.

The door slowly opened and the Fairy King warily looked through the narrow opening. He looked like he hadn’t slept for months. His hair seemed grayer than normal and there were dark bags beneath his eyes. Deep wrinkles marred his face and he had grown a scraggly beard that was flecked with grey.

“Dagda.” Joan folded her arms and stood waiting.

“M’mom?” Dagda looked embarrassed and confused. Then he looked ashamed. Joan pushed past him and closed the door behind them.

“Sit.” Joan spoke and the Fairy King stumbled to the nearest chair. He had put on a good amount of weight and was dressed in only a tunic and pants. His crown was sitting on a nearby table with the queen’s crown resting inside of it. 

The Fairy King looked up at his mother and she looked back at a broken man. “Dagda.” Joan’s voice was stern, but kinder. “You are a king and you have responsibilities. You have a kingdom that needs your leadership and two daughters who lost their mother and at the moment, don’t even have a father. What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Ehm. Nothing.” The Fairy King replied with a heavy sigh, unable to meet his mother’s eyes.

“What happened to Cherise was an awful, unfortunate thing. You may continue mourning all you want when you have finished being King and Father. What would she say if she saw you like…” Joan motioned at the King’s state in visible disgust. “This.”

“You will have a bath and I will arrange for the stylist to fix your hair and the tailors to do … something. You will join the family for dinner tonight.” Joan turned away from the King. “I love you, Dagda. Your whole family and your kingdom loves you and wants you back. They haven’t bothered you after all this time because of that love. Don’t abuse it.” 

Joan left the room quickly, expecting her son to do exactly what she had said. The Fairy King sighed and looked around the room. He had the heavy curtains drawn and there were several empty trays of food that had been stacked up on a side table. 

He had been sitting in this room for months. The outside world just seemed too overwhelming without his Queen at his side. The loneliness was more than he could stand. He sat in silence for a few more minutes.

Then he got up and began doing what his mother had told him to. She was right and he knew it, but it wasn’t going to be easy for him. He had daughters. Beautiful daughters and Cherise would have been furious at him for ignoring them like this.

He didn’t want to leave his chambers, but his mother could be scary.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Bog worked on the books like he did every day, but his attention was on Willow. Beautiful, sweet Willow. He smiled to himself and blobbed ink on the page he had been filling in with the names of a dozen new goblin babies that had been born the night before.

The Bog King had left the two of them alone to take care of the logs while he spent time with Griselda overseeing preparations for the festivities tonight. Bog growled noticing the ink blobs and quickly tried to dab up some of it so he could recover the rest of the page without smearing ink all over it.

Willow worked on diligently. She was just finishing up transferring the scouting reports on one of the bordering elf towns and how much grain they were harvesting. She didn’t notice Bog knocking the ink well over on his lap in his rush to clean up the ink droplets in the book.

Bog swore under his breath, retrieving the ink and now trying to wipe it off of the armored plating on his thigh and leg. It just smeared ink into the grooves and made it spread more. Bog glanced at Willow frantically. He had planned to ask her to the Midsummer’s Eve feast and bonfire, but he needed to get cleaned up first. Maybe if he hurried.

“I’I’ll be right back.” Bog mumbled rising to his feet. He hurried out the door trying to look like nothing was wrong. Willow didn’t even acknowledge what he said. She was almost done.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

“Willow.” Bog returned a few minutes later and entered the classroom, prepared to talk to her. “I wanted to ask ye.”

She wasn’t there.

She had already left.

Bog looked at her empty seat sadly. For months now, he had said only a few words to her. They greeted and then said goodbyes. Willow had the sweetest voice and she smiled at him.

Grumbling, Bog went back to his desk to finish recording the numbers. He would dance with her at the bonfire. There would be a lot of dancing and while Bog wasn’t very good at it, he would have an opportunity to dance with Willow. Bog smiled at the thought. So much dancing. He wrote Dancing in as a name of one of the new goblin babies.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog is impatient.

Goblins ate and goblins danced. There was a roaring fire in a small field not far from the castle and there were hundreds of goblins attending. Food was roasting over small fires. There was even more food in other pits that had been cooking during the day in the ground. It was all meat from a rabbit hunt earlier in the day.

  
There were also numerous baskets of bread available and drink of all kind, from goblin ale to elf spirits. There were a handful of goblins who were not allowed to imbibe monitoring the alcohol and any goblins who had celebrated a little too much.

  
Midsummer’s Eve bonfires were not nearly as much fun if a goblin fell into the bonfire. They also had to keep an eye on the younglings who were constantly trying to liberate a drink on a dare.

  
Bog arrived from the air and circled the well lit area looking for Willow. He saw many goblins he knew reveling in the festivities, but no sign of Willow. He circled again, up higher. Then again.

  
Willow wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Bog landed near his parents. They were seated in thrones set up in a place of honor. The thrones had been made out of green branches, woven together with care. They could oversee and enjoy all of the festivities. There was a table laid out in front of the three thrones covered with food and drink.

  
“Good evenin’, Bogdan.” The Bog King addressed him with a smile.

  
“Why don’t you dance and enjoy the bonfire?” Griselda gave Bog a toothy grin, hoping to see her boy dancing with some goblin girl.

  
“Maybe later.” Bog mumbled as he took his place in the lower throne on his father’s right. He folded his arms and slumped down in his seat. Griselda’s smile faded as she took in Bog’s sulking. He had been moodier than usual with his mind on something that he wouldn’t talk to her about. Griselda knew her son well and had read into his face that he was thinking about a girl. But where was she? Griselda wanted to pry, but held herself back. Bog was young and a very sensitive boy. By goblin standards, he should have already paired off with someone and started having children years ago, but the Bog King had informed Griselda that he and his kind matured so much more slowly and had such longer lives that she should not push him. Still, she wanted to see her son happy with someone special.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The bonfires burned into the night and Bog did not move from his throne. He watched the festivities and stewed. Goblins danced for hours. His mother and father joined the dancing off and on, much to the joy of the attending goblins.

  
Willow did not show and Bog beat himself up for not just asking her to join him. He wrestled with the conversation he should have had, running it through his mind over and over. He became increasingly frustrated as his imaginary conversations continually ended with Willow saying no, laughing at him, looking at him in disgust or just completely ignoring him and not even hearing the question leaving Bog to retreat shamefully to his desk. Bog tortured himself, fighting against an inner voice that continually told him he wasn’t good enough to have anyone special.

  
He was awful. He had nothing any goblin would ever want. He was a freak with his wings and unnaturally shaped face. Bog idly stroked a clawed hand over his nose. He had a big nose, narrow, angular features, teeth that were sharp but flat. He was covered in bark like armor. Everything was sharp and foreboding. His thoughts drifted to the fairies he had seen in the forest. They had been terrified of him. It was written on their faces. They were so beautiful and despite the constant jabbing his father did at the ‘flighty fairies’ Bog couldn’t help but find them attractive. Their colorful graceful wings and slender forms that moved with elegance.

  
To them, he was an outright monster, an evil loathsome thing. No fairy would ever take to him. He was as good as a toad. Then he remembered what the fairy girl had said. Get some boys to kiss some frogs? Love potion? If he had a love potion, he could get Willow to see him and look past his appearance. He just needed to catch her attention. Bog began plotting. The fairies had been gathering pink primrose petals to take to the Sugar Plum Fairy. The chance of finding a petal at midsummer was low, but possible He wouldn’t know if he didn’t look. He needed to look. He needed to go now.

  
Bog glanced at his parents. Their full attention was on the bonfire. It was half its starting height and would burn for hours more. The Bog King and his wife would be the last to leave when it was down to embers. Bog did not have to be here. He rose to his feet using his wings to hover in front of his parents.  
“If ye don’t mind, may I be excused?”

  
“We have things handled here, Bog.” The Bog King waved Bog off while Bog’s mother gave him a look of disappointment. Bog was taken aback by her response. He had never seen her look at him in quite that way and wasn’t sure why he had earned that expression.

  
“Mother?” Bog furrowed his brow in confusion.

  
Griselda realized what she was doing and quickly replaced her frown with a broad toothy smile. “It’s nothing, Bog, you may go!” She waved her hands in a shooing motion. She was sad that Bog had spent the evening sullenly sitting in his throne. Normally, he at least danced with his friends. This year, the moment Spring had peeked its fresh green head into the Dark Forest, Bog had retreated into work and his room. He had been grumpy for most of it then suddenly happier than normal for this time of year. Now he was back to looking perpetually annoyed. Griselda had assumed there was a girl, but Bog said nothing of it and while she had wanted to pry, she managed not to. For now.

  
Bog nodded and spiraled into the air above the festivities, his wings propelling him quickly away and to the border between the Dark Forest and the Fairy Kingdom.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

Starting at the southern end of the border, Bog swept the perimeter as quickly and thoroughly as he could. It was dark, but he could see well enough by the light of the moon. There were a few primrose flowers, but not the kind he sought. Bog caught sight of bonfires just outside nearby Elf villages and one particularly large one that he was sure the fairies were dancing around. He hesitated to watch the dancers and felt just as annoyed at the noticeable couples among them as he had at the goblin bonfire.

  
Bog flew on into the night growing more and more frustrated the more he searched. He beat himself up for not thinking about this earlier. There was not a pink primrose to be seen. It was well past midnight when he found himself at the northern border and within sight of the Sugar Plum Fairy’s home. There was a massive oak on the Fairy side and an elf village was built into it with Sugar Plum’s home situated up high in the boughs.

  
A bonfire that had burned down to the embers cast a golden glow on the fields outside the town. There were only a few elves out and most of the homes had their lights out. Bog rattled his wings in indecision, hovering on the outskirts of the Dark Forest. They kept records of everyone they could see from the forest and Sugar Plum was one of the odder things they recorded. She was reported to be a master of potions and the only one of her kind in the Fairy Kingdom.

  
Her home was set apart from the elves, hanging from a thick branch high above. It was more of a nest than the typical elf or fairy house. It was also expansive, reaching all the way to the trunk. Small globes of golden light orbited the house and the windows were lit in the section that Bog assumed was where she lived. Bog swallowed hard, clenching and unclenching his fists anxiously. He didn’t have a primrose petal to offer and had not thought to bring anything of value. His mind has been on finding a primrose petal at the wrong time of year.

  
Bog flew up to the nest, landing on the porch, which appeared to be Fairy only accessible. He stood there, fist raised, contemplating on if he should knock or not. She was awake. He had questions. He could just ask and come back later. It was possible she had Love potions already prepared. She was supposed to deal in a variety of them in any case. But then, she might have questions. He might not be prepared. The questions rattled around in Bog’s head and he grated his teeth together.

  
“Look. Just come in. Stop darkening my door step and come in.” The door suddenly flung open and a blue head that looked like it had been sprinkled with a layer of sugar popped out to yell at Bog. He shot backward off the porch and hovered, staring at the fairy in astonishment.  
“Uhm.” Bog twiddled his fingers, his mind completely blank.

  
“Inside.” The fairy ordered, moving to one side of the door. Bog did as he was told, flying through the door and landing immediately inside. He was standing in a small entry and had to stoop to avoid hitting his head. The odd looking fairy hovered in front of him without the aid of wings. She was completely blue with a shimmering white glittering glow to her. Unlike every single other creature Bog had ever seen, she did not have legs, but more of a tail.

  
“I expected something more … purple?” He muttered.

  
Sugar Plum threw back her head and laughed, floating into the next room and beckoning Bog to follow her. “I get that a lot. Now, what has brought the Bog King to my door?”

  
“I am not the Bog King.” Bog mumbled, trying to avert his eyes and not stare. “I am Bogdan. His son.”

  
“Whatever, you’re going to be the Bog King eventually.” The fairy flitted around as though unable to stand still. She circled Bog and made no attempt to hide that she was examining him. The whole thing made him uncomfortable. “What are you here for, Bogdan?” She stressed his name then added, “You do know you should never give anyone your real name, right?”

  
Bog blinked at Sugar Plum. He couldn’t find his words and his mind was a mess of confusion.

  
“When you give someone your name, you may be giving someone control over you. Names hold power.”

  
“Oh, uhm.” Bog glanced all around the room, his eyes trying to avoid Sugar Plum’s. What had he done?

  
“No worries about anything from me!” Sugar Plum laughed again, settling down in a chair in a corner of the room. There were two chairs and a comfortable looking couch in the small sitting room. There was also a small table with a tea pot and a cup that was half drunk. They were all designed to fit fairies. “Sit. Sit.” Sugar Plum motioned to the couch. Bog obediently settled into it. Sugar Plum’s movements were disconcerting to him. She moved too fast. Too energetically.

  
Sugar Plum stared at Bog.

  
Bog looked at the floor, trying to recall why he was here. There was a colorful woven rug on the floor, done in shades of purple and pink with black edging.

  
“Sugar Plum isn’t my real name, it’s a job title.” The odd looking fairy grinned at Bog. “I’m retired from that job. It was fun while it lasted, but also tiring. I’ve been all over the world making sure children are asleep on Christmas eve when Saint Nicolas visits. That’s our job you know. Making potions to aid Saint Nicolas. Without us, he would never get his job done!”

  
Bog glanced up at Sugar Plum, not fully understanding what she was saying.

  
“Ye don’t look like any fairy I’ve ever seen.”

  
“How many fairies have you seen?”

  
“Lots of them.”

  
Sugar Plum gave Bog a pitying smile. “Fairies come in as many different forms as goblins my dear child. Now. What is it that you are here for?”

  
“I uh.” Bog stumbled over the words averting his gaze as he tapped his claws against each other. “I. I want.”

  
“Spit it out!” Sugar Plum was suddenly hovering in his face. Bog recoiled in shock.

  
“There’s a girl!”

  
“Oh. Oh. A girl?” Sugar Plum whirled around and grinned at Bog, hovering back to give him space. She tapped her chin in thought.

  
“She doesn’t notice me.” Bog’s gaze fell back to the floor.

  
“So you want a potion to get her to notice you? Have you just tried talking to her? There are easier ways to love than using magic.” Sugar Plum settled back in her chair and steepled her fingers. She studied Bog intently. “I do not create potions for trivial things, Bog. You need to look at me and tell me everything.”

  
“I love her.” Bog raised his eyes, barely able to lift his head with the admission. “Every time I see her, I want to tell her that. I ache inside when I’m not around her. We talk a lot, but she doesn’t seem interested in me at all. She doesn’t really see me as anyone but the Bog King’s son.”

  
“So just tell her.” Sugar Plum rolled her eyes and settled back into the chair, wriggling about to get more comfortable in the cushions. “What is so hard about that?”  
“Ye don’t understand. She doesn’t SEE me in any way like that. I need something to make her see me. That’s all I want. It’s so close. I can feel it. If she could really see ME, not just this.” Bog tapped his claws on his chest plate hard. “I know I’m not … “ His voice lowered to a whisper as he admitted what he thought of himself. “Physically attractive to anyone. But don’t I deserve what everyone else has?”

  
Sugar Plum frowned, then hovered forward again, reaching out a hand to tap Bog’s nose. “WHO told you that you don’t deserve love?” He recoiled and looked away, not answering. “That is ridiculous.” Sugar Plum flew back in a huff looking thoughtful. “There is nothing wrong with you, Bog, but maybe you can use a little assistance and I’m more than happy to help.” The fairy darted off through a side door, leaving Bog feeling even more uncertain than when he had entered her home.

  
“Here it is!” Sugar Plum returned holding a tiny silver flask with a warm pink glow sloshing around inside. Bog’s eyes widened as they fixed on it. “Now, there are rules, Bog. Listen carefully. Dust the one you love. Stand in front. Be the first one she sees and she will love you. Don’t abuse it. It won’t be real love if it’s not meant to be. She will not do anything that she would not normally do other than love you. It will not affect her if she is in love with someone else. It only lasts a week.” Sugar Plum rattled off the instructions, but Bog heard nothing after ‘Be the first one she sees.’

  
“Thank you.” Bog held a hand out to take the flask.

  
“Bog. Remember what I said.” Sugar Plum pulled the flask away from him. Love potion wasn’t something she took lightly in distributing.

  
“Dust the one you love. Stand in front. Be the first one she sees.” Bog repeated still holding out a hand. So close. So close to having what he truly wanted. “I got it.”

  
Sugar Plum gently surrendered the flask. Bog clutched it tightly, imagining using it as soon as he could. Willow would love him.

  
“Thank you, Sugar Plum.” Bog smiled. This fairy wasn’t so bad. She seemed understanding and wanted to genuinely help him. “Can I bring you anything?”

  
“A nice chunk of amber, about this big.” Sugar Plum didn’t hesitate in showing Bog that she wanted a piece of amber the size of her head. “It’s amazing for making jewelry out of!”

  
“I will see to it.” Bog nodded as he rose to leave.

  
“Remember Bog. Don’t abuse it.” Sugar Plum added, her hands dropping to rest on her hips.

  
“I would never.” Bog shook his head seriously in agreement. He wasn’t sure how he could abuse it, but that’s what Sugar Plum wanted to hear, so he said it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize again for errors. I find them as I reread some of the chapters and cringe. :D


	13. That Fateful Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day which would eventually remove love from the Dark Forest.

Bog didn’t sleep when he returned to the castle. Instead he paced around his room with the tiny flask held securely in one hand. He couldn’t put it down.

Everyone had the morning off to recover from the night’s festivities, but there would still be work in the afternoon and Bog would be alone with Willow. The Bog King would be spending the day with his wife as they always did following a celebration.

“Good morning, Willow.” He rehearsed what he was going to say to Willow when he saw her. He always greeted her like that. “Good morning, Willow.” Bog repeated it again, then shook his head. It wasn’t going to be morning.

“Good afternoon, Willow.” Bog needed this to be perfect. He had to say the right words. He couldn’t just dust her and stand in front of her saying nothing. He wanted to tell her how he felt about her.

Bog’s stomach fluttered and his throat momentarily locked up. What was he going to say after good afternoon? Oh. Compliment her. “Ye look beautiful today.” Bog grumbled picking up his circular pacing. That wasn’t the right thing to say. It implied that there were other days that she was not beautiful.

“Good afternoon, Willow, ye look beautiful.” Bog rephrased his opening line, then grumbled again, changing it after analyzing how it sounded. “Good afternoon, Willow, ye are beautiful.” That one just sounded off and far more forward than Bog wanted to be.

“Good afternoon, Willow, would ye like to forget about work this afternoon and go for a walk in the forest?” That sounded workable.

Bog grinned and held the flask up to his eyes. He could see the glittering pink dust shifting around inside the container like it was alive.

Willow would love him if she just looked into his eyes and saw just how much he loved her. That had to be how it worked. That’s what his mother had told him about his father. It was love at first sight. 

Bog made a face.

With his mother, it was always love at first sight. She made it sound so easy. She had sacrificed her horns in battle to save the king she was fully devoted to. He had been impressed and the pair of them were bound together for life within a short time. They were so different, but so right for each other.

Bog wanted what they had and he wanted it now. He had spent the spring being tortured by every couple in love being painfully cute with each other. It was always at its worst in the spring. 

Love was everywhere and at the same time, nowhere for Bog. He looked at the flask again. That was going to change.

\---------------------------------------------------

The castle halls were empty that afternoon. Normally, Bog would have flown through them as quickly as he could, but the butterflies in his stomach were keeping his feet well grounded. Bog’s wings twitched anxiously and he clutched the tiny flask in his hands. 

He was grateful nobody was around to see him. Bog wouldn’t want anyone to see him looking so awkward and unsteady. He stared at the flask and walked slowly. Bog wanted what the love potion would bring and at the same time was afraid of it.

“Bog? Is something wrong?” Bog blinked and looked up to see Willow walking toward him. She had her head tilted cutely to one side, her arms laden with a pile of writing paper and she was looking directly at him in concern.

Bog froze.

He had not expected to run into Willow in this hall. “Oh, uhm.” Bog glanced at the wall, the floor then the ceiling. “I’m fine.” His mind went blank and every word he had rehearsed fled his grasp.

“Ok. You look funny.” Willow blinked at Bog. He stared at her face, admiring her beautiful inquisitive eyes and her long eyelashes. “I was just going to your father’s room to deliver some messages that were transcribed from the mushrooms.”

Bog’s fingers worked the flask’s cap, unscrewing it fully. It popped off and hit the floor with a clanging sound. It rolled to Willow’s feet. Willow looked down at it curiously. “You dropped something.” She knelt to pick it up and when she did Bog took a deep breath and thrust the flask forward sending out a shower of sparkling pink dust.

Willow rose into the cloud of dust and Bog stared at her, eyes wide. She was so beautiful and the love potion lit her up with a magical glow. Willow held out the flask cap and sneezed suddenly.

“Something strange is in the air.” Willow laughed and it was music to Bog’s ears. He leaned toward her holding out his hand, reaching toward her face intending a gentle caress. He was still searching for his words.

“Willow, I,” Bog’s claw tips brushed against Willow’s cheek and his other hand landed awkwardly on her shoulder. “I. Ah. Uhm.” Bog pressed his lips together and ground his teeth. He looked into Willow’s eyes, searching them for what he wanted to see.

Willow screamed.

She jerked backward sending the papers in her arms flying. Worse. There were four lines of blood dripping down her right shoulder where Bog’s hand had been. When she moved he had accidentally scratched her. He had been holding her tighter than he intended.

Bog recoiled in shock, grabbing his left hand and gripping it as though it had betrayed him. This wasn’t what he had wanted to happen.  
Willow staggered back. Her face was lit up by fear and confusion. “Bog.” She took several more steps back.

“Willow, I dinna. Willow. Wait!” Bog stumbled over his words and Willow turned and fled down the hallway. He began to follow, then stopped himself. 

It didn’t work. The love potion didn’t have any affect on her at all and worse than that, he had HURT Willow. Bog’s eyes landed on the paper littering the floor and a scattering of crimson droplets.

Bog’s head spun and for a brief moment everything went black. He blinked and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. It was then that the trembling began. What had just happened set in fully.

He had been rejected.

The potion didn’t work. Something about him was just so awful that even a love potion couldn’t help him. Bog’s eyes landed on the flask. She had lied. Sugar Plum had said there was nothing wrong with him. She had lied. He just needed a little assistance. She had lied. He could not recall anything else Sugar Plum had said, just that she had LIED.

Bog threw the flask with as much force as he could to the floor. It shattered and pink dust flew everywhere. Bog growled and flew backward to get clear of the cloud. It dissipated as he watched and Bog’s face contorted with anger.

She had lied.

This was all her fault.

Bog exploded out of the castle in a flurry of wings. He needed to fly and be somewhere alone where he could unleash his anger. He told himself that was why he needed to leave the castle even as the tears began to flow.

Everything hurt and it shouldn’t have. He should have been part of a happy couple like he constantly saw. Instead, the look on her face had been one of horror. 

Bog roared as he broke through several leaf laden branches. He whirled through more, lashing out with his claws and ripping them to shreds. It wasn’t fair. Why was this his life? Why couldn’t he find anyone who loved him? Would he ever? If even a love potion couldn’t make someone as wonderful and kind as Willow love him, then maybe it just wasn’t ever going to be something he could grasp.

More limbs were severed and ripped to pieces. Bog went for the trunk, slapping his claws into the bark and leaving massive gouges. He kept at it in a blind rage, scarring the trunk deep into the golden growing core.

When he was finally breathing hard and exhausted, Bog collapsed onto a lower limb in a heap of shaking misery. Then, he just cried, grateful nobody could see him. His father would have probably told him to stop being a whiny fairy and move on. His mother would have smothered him in well meaning affection and hugs with more encouraging words.

This would be the last time he cried about something he swore to himself. He stared at the damage he had done to the tree. He had lost control again. There had been other times as well and they had all been centered around on subject.

Love.

His father would say something teasing and then Bog would lose it. He couldn’t take the constant knife that had turned in his heart when the subject came up and it came up the most in the spring.

Love made him weak. Love made him uncontrollable. Love was the enemy of order. Without order, there was chaos. Wasn’t that what his father always said?  
Yes, that was the way to go. When he was king, he would rid the Dark Forest of love. He swore to it again. He would not cry. He would not be weak. He would not allow others to be weak. He was saving everyone pain. 

Then he realized that might be going a little too far. After all, there were many happy couples, including his parents. What he needed, was not to ever SEE them. They could do what they wanted in their burrows and holes, but love would be forbidden in the kingdom within his sight.

He had to save HIMSELF pain and sorrow. Their love was ridiculous. He didn’t need it. He didn’t NEED love when it only brought misery with it. Bog threw himself into thinking of what he would do when he was king to ‘rid’ the world within his reach of love.

In reality, Bog was hurting and trying to keep his mind away from his personal injury. He had hurt Willow. Love had made him careless. He was hurting and never wanted to feel this way again. The only way to do that was to not allow himself to fall in love again.

He would build a wall. He would protect himself and keep everyone out. He would be a better ruler without such frivolous activities. Bog could give his full attention to being king and he would be as good of a king as his father.

He just needed to ban love from the dark forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably need to go write some happy fairy stuff for the next chapter. Bog telling himself so many hurtful lies is just so sad.
> 
> Shrieking as a response to someone declaring their love for you just seemed like such an over reaction, however, shrieking because you were accidentally cut was more understanding for the situation and with Bog's hands that just seemed a likely thing to happen.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne just doesn't fit in and she knows it.

“Marianne! Marianne!”

Marianne was growing tired of her name. It was said far more times than necessary and in so many ways that it was beginning to make her cringe every time she heard it. There were always other fairies around now, watching her every move. Her grandparents were no help anymore. Marianne ducked into a storage room and heard the footsteps of several fairies running down the hall calling her name.

The sneaky little girl sighed and leaned against the door, staring down at her feet. She was wearing beautiful white slippers with purple bows on them. She was also wearing white lacy socks, a delicate white slip fringed in lace and a flowy white dress with a purple sash and more lace. So much lace! Even her shoulders and collar were covered in lace.

It was so itchy! Marianne squirmed and reached for the buttons behind her neck. Her long nimble fingers made short work of them and soon each garment fell to the floor. She kicked off her shoes and peeled off her socks, then stood only in the slip. She couldn’t very well run around naked. 

Or could she? A small smile went across Marianne’s impish face as she thought about the possibilities. It would be fun! Then she frowned. No. She wasn’t a small child like her sister who didn’t know any better. That would be crossing a line that she was sure would get her into more trouble than she cared to deal with. However, if she could just get out of the castle rock she could probably have a better chance of getting out of going to school. If she got out and got dirty that would be even better!

Marianne darted across the room and threw open the curtains to see what she had to work with. Most of the rooms in the castle had balconies. Marianne tugged on one of the doors and threw her whole weight into it to pull it open. The doors were heavy, but she was stubborn.

The little fairy giggled then silenced herself, fearing she might be overheard. She ran to the balcony railing which was higher than her head and threw her hands on it. Marianne flapped her wings, trying to give herself just enough lift to get over the railing. She wasn’t old enough to user her wings to fly but she could get a few inches off the ground and if she could get over the railing she could glide safely to the ground.

She couldn’t help but imagine how much fun it would be when her wings would be more than just a constant hindrance to her and would propel her through the air as effortlessly as the adults. She would fly so much and she would fly high and far! There would be so much fun to be had!

But for now, Marianne just had to get over the railing. She grunted and finally pulled herself up to sit on top of it. She blinked at just how high she was. Marianne had not considered just how high she was. It was going to be a long drop and she had never jumped from this high! The door in the room behind her rattled as someone tried to knob, then she heard some shouting voices. There were keys in someone’s hand now. She could hear them jangling.

Marianne frowned and glanced from the door to the drop. She was at least five floors up. The little fairy took a breath and dropped off the balcony railing as the door swung open into the room. Several guards rushed inside and immediately noticed the open balcony doors. They rushed to the railing and were in the air in moments. 

The guards shouted and dived after the little girl, hoping to catch her before she could get out of their reach. Marianne had a headstart, but she could only glide. Still, she was just out of reach. She hit the ground running, purple wings billowing behind her as she made a break for it into one of the many gardens that were positioned around the castle rock. This one was ornamental and full of topiaries. Marianne rushed past several gardeners and fairies who were just enjoying a walk through the garden. 

The pursuers had to land and run through the garden giving Marianne ample time to vanish in the surrounding foliage. By the time the guards realized that one of them needed to be in the air to better see the area, Marianne had hidden herself well enough nobody would find her unless she wanted to be found. There would be no school today!

“Marianne!” Marianne cringed with indecision as she heard her father’s voice join the guards. Now every fairy in the garden was looking for her and her father had joined them. Which was worse. Going to school or her father’s disappointment? It was one thing to run from the guards, another to go against her father. She whimpered and tucked her head down against her knees, for the moment hidden and safe from having to commit to either choice.

“Marianne!” He was closer and his voice was filled with exasperation. “Where are you, Marianne?”

Tears filled Marianne’s eyes. She blinked them back but they continued to come. Marianne sniffled and could see her father’s feet coming toward her hiding place. “Marianne?”

Marianne exploded from her hiding place and into her father’s arms, still crying. “I don’t want to go to school, Daddy! I want to stay with you!”

Dagda sighed as he gave his daughter a reassuring hug. “You’re too dirty to go to school today, but you’re also too dirty to stay with me. What is so bad about school?”  
“You’re not there!” Marianne wailed. “And it’s boring!”

“You have to go to school to learn, Marianne.” Dagda carried her out of the garden, waving his guards back as he carried his sobbing daughter to the nearest entrance. “I had to go to school when I was your age. I made a lot of friends and learned how to be a good king.”

“Nobody likes me,” Marianne whimpered seriously.

“That’s ridiculous,” her father laughed giving Marianne another squeeze. “What would ever give you that idea?” Marianne stared at her father with large soulful eyes. Her lower lip quivered as she tried to find the right words.

She didn’t fit in with the other girls and she was constantly excluded by the boys, because she was a girl. Marianne couldn’t understand where she belonged, no matter how hard she tried. She also had a difficult time sitting still. 

“You’ll be fine, Marianne. You just need to try harder.” Dagda wasn’t sure what else to say. He needed to talk to his mother and ask her for advice in dealing with Marianne. Cherise had always known the right way to handle their daughter. Dagda was always more permissive and hated telling his little girls no. 

Marianne sniffled and snuggled into her father’s arms. She was still upset, but relieved that at least for today, there wouldn’t be any school.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Marianne found herself at school over an hour late. She was wearing the same dress she had started out in and her hair was everywhere, but she was clean and being escorted by Grandma. There was no nonsense with Grandma. Marianne was always amazed at how Grandma did things. She did what she wanted to and didn’t care what others thought. At the same time, she fit in like Marianne couldn’t.

“Marianne, I know you don’t like school, but sometimes you need to do things you don’t want to do so you can do what you want to do in the future.” Grandma squeezed Marianne’s hand gently to make sure she was listening. “When I was a little girl, I was a lot like you.” Marianne stared up at her grandma with wide eyes. “I couldn’t sit still. I would rather have climbed a tree than learned to sit nicely and learn languages, etiquette and cross-stitch.”

“Cross-stitch?” 

“What girls did when I was a girl and what they do now is very different, Marianne.” Grandma laughed. “And do you know why you learn math, science, languages, and so much more than etiquette and cross-stitch?”

“No, Grandma.” Marianne shook her head, staring at her grandmother with serious eyes.

“I grew up and I changed that!”

Marianne stared harder.

“When I was Queen I made sure that boys and girls studied the same things! I also added study courses as options and here and there we had girls who just weren’t interested in the usual things and wanted to learn science or history or math.” Grandma continued proudly. “You need to give school a real chance and find something you enjoy and if you want to do it and anybody tells you that you can’t, you come to me. I’m retired, but I have some pull.” Grandma winked and smiled at Marianne. 

Marianne returned the smile and felt considerably better than she had just hours before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time I write castle rock, I just want to name the fairy palace: Castle Rock. :D Marianne at least physically fits in with her world and is surrounded by MANY loving family members to support her and encourage her, while also trying to rein her in. :D If she had her way, she would be running wild all over the place.
> 
> Also back to one of the annoying things about the Fairy Kingdom, that at times it seems more restricting and less 'free' than the way the Dark Forest is run.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog goes over his choices and a crucial bit of information is not given to the Fairy king.

Bog was too ashamed and embarrassed of what he had done to leave his room or even be seen. He had snuck back into the castle and made it to his room without incident. Griselda noticed there was something wrong with her precious boy immediately. He didn’t come to dinner. Even if he didn’t feel like eating, he was always at the table. His father insisted on it.

Griselda wrung her hands and thought of the best way to treat this situation without upsetting Bog further.  Shortly afterward she worriedly rapped on Bog’s door with a plate of food in one hand. He didn’t answer. “Bog. Dear. Are you feeling ok? I have food for you!”

“No thank ye, Mother. I’m not hungry.” Bog reluctantly replied from where he was nestled into the comfort of his bed. He knew she wouldn’t go away if he was silent.

“Are you feeling okay? Should I get one of the healers to see you?” Griselda persisted leaning her cheek against the door and letting the worry in her voice be heard.

“I’m fine. Please leave me alone, Mother.” Bog hoped that would be enough to send her on her way, but this was Griselda. She did not understand personal space and most of the time was downright smothering in her affection for ‘her boys’. Bog knew better than to refuse such attention, but he did not want her to see him right now.

She would know.

She would know everything just by looking at him and Bog felt guilty enough without his mother’s knowing gaze fixed on him.

Bog stared at the door. If his mother came through that door, he was just going to break. His resolve wasn’t as strong as he wanted it to be. He knew what she would bring out in him and he had enough of crying. Bog felt better afterward, but it was tiring and embarrassing.

The door didn’t open and he heard soft footsteps going down the hall. He was safe for now. He didn’t need to tell anyone what had happened and hopefully Willow wouldn’t mention it. Bog worried his lower lip with his teeth. What was Willow going to do? Was she going to tell anyone what had happened? Did she know what he had tried or did it just appear to her like he was making a very foolish and clumsy attempt at flirting.

Bog studied his nails for a moment. The worst part about it was that he had unintentionally hurt her. He was normally careful to avoid harming the more tender skinned younglings. That bothered him further. He actually liked children, but after that accident he should probably avoid touching anyone to avoid it happening again.

He began to make rules for himself and his interactions. Don’t touch. Don’t look. If you feel any kind of weird stirring, look away. Push it down. Build a wall. You can still be a good king if you have these boundaries. You might even be a better king. Don’t trust anyone. If you let your guard down they have the power to hurt you in ways that hurt more than any physical injury.

Bog sighed realizing his mother was right. Every time she gushed over him and made apologies for her ‘sensitive son’, she was right. She was right and he didn’t like hearing it. He knew of no other goblin who would be described as sensitive. He needed to change and pushing that side of himself down and concentrating more on control would fix everything.

Bog stared up at the rough hewn ceiling above, focusing on the amber light fixtures casting their soft comforting golden glow. He had to face what he had done and talk to Willow. He would apologize and explain it was all a misunderstanding and an accident. Most likely, she wouldn’t tell anyone for one reason and one reason alone. He was the son of the Bog King. He was a prince. Everyone respected him.

Bog smiled a strained smile. No. That respect wasn’t solely because he was the prince. He had taken up many of the responsibilities his father no longer had time for. He had made up for the missing fairy tribute and had not needed to tell anyone except his band of loyal goblin raiders. His people ate well because of what he had done.

Tonight. He would sleep and recover. Tomorrow he would go about his normal routine and the next evening he would lead a raid on a very special place. He did have a chunk of amber to deliver to The Sugar Plum Fairy and he had a mind to pitch it through one of her bright and shiny windows. He could not do anything to her right at this moment, but he could make his anger known.

-=-=-=----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Why are the goblins raiding elf villages?” King Dagda stared at the council members who had just finished apprising him of the losses they had incurred over the last months. “Isn’t the tribute we deliver monthly enough?”

The council members glanced at each other. None of them wanted to tell the King that the tributes had not been delivered, because he had not signed off on them. Councilman Davins decided to act. He shuffled the papers in front of him in his green gloved hands. “They’re greedy, Sire.”

The Fairy King scowled, his wings rising behind him in irritation. “I want to see the list of villages and dates they were attacked. If there is a pattern, we are going to deploy troops and stop these incursions immediately. We need to protect our winter stores from any more loss. If you have to kill the goblins to get it across, we will do it.”

The other council members cast surprised looks at Davins. None of them held any love for the goblins, but none of them were willing to talk against the commander of their army. If this was how he wanted to deal with them, then this was how it was going to be.

The only woman on the council bit her lip angrily. “If we start killing goblins, then we’re going to start a war. They have always raided our villages when times were lean. Perhaps they are having shortages in the dark forest? Perhaps we should increase the tribute?”

“Why should we feed people who are not our own and who routinely rob and threaten our border towns?” Commander Davins countered. “They are greedy. They should stick to their forest and leave us alone entirely and a show of force will put an end to these raids, Melanie.”

“People will die.” She persisted stubbornly. “Our people and theirs.” The Fairy King looked from one to the other, taking in the conversation while the other two councilmen held their tongues.

“If we do not put a stop to this now the goblins will only grow bolder. We’ve seen how they fight. They are nothing more than beasts.” Commander Davins voice became heated. He had very few battles to fight and was now looking forward to actually fighting goblins. “Eventually, they are going to eat someone. Then what are we going to do?”

“King Dagda,” Councilwoman Melanie turned to her king, ”I ask for discretion in your response. Maybe you should meet with the Bog King and get to the source of what is going on? You yourself said he was reasonable when you had to deal with the Fox.”

“Truthfully, I’m not even sure if he is alive,” sighed the Fairy King. “I will put out a request for a meeting immediately. I do not want to risk anyone’s life, fairy or goblin, until I know what is going on. Unfortunately, he has a bad habit of not responding if he doesn’t think it’s important. We will post guards to select towns.” Then he turned to give Commander Davins a stern look. “Nobody is to be killed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have named the councilmembers when I first introduced them. One guess on whose father Commander Davins is.
> 
> I drained my well a little dry and jumping to another part of the story I may or may not keep helped. :D Earlier than my Monday update, but I liked it and it leads to fun things.
> 
> Now to get this Alternate Universe Human Fantasy out of my head....


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog sets out on a plan.

Early the next morning, it was Bog who the messenger goblin happened upon first with a message from the Fairy King. He was used to passing on messages to Bog so thought nothing of handing off another one to be delivered to the Bog King.

Bog discreetly flew off with the scroll high up into the trees near the castle to read it in private. Something told him that he needed to be the one reading this message and not his father. Bog broke the Fairy King’s seal and slowly unrolled the piece of parchment. He skimmed the contents and frowned. The Fairy King was requesting a conversation with Bog’s father.

Bog scowled and tore the parchment into pieces. That was not going to happen. His father did not need to waste his time with the Fairy King after he had broken his word. He also did not need to find out that Bog had taken things into his own hands. Bog felt a twinge of guilt for keeping that from his father but was able to quickly justify it. His own father had raided the towns before this. He was doing his father a favor by sparing him these unimportant distractions and concerns. 

Taking the pressure off of his father was an important concern for Bog. He didn’t really want all of the responsibilities. But after the battle with the fox and almost losing him, Bog wanted his father to stay out of dangerous situations. He knew the Bog King had not fully recovered from his injuries and his missing eye had left him with a vulnerability. He did not want the fairies to see this as well. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------  
The rest of the day went on like a normal day for Bog. He kept his mind off his worries as he attended to his schedule. It wasn’t until it was time to do the bookkeeping that he became truly worried. Should he go early? Should he go late? Should he just not show up and let Willow handle everything? 

No. He had to show up and walk in like everything was normal. He had to face this situation he caused and apologize. Bog took a deep breath and stepped into the classroom on time. Willow was already there, sitting at her desk with a pile of books in front of her and a stack of sheets next to those. Bog slowly crossed the room and was dismayed when she glanced up and noticeably flinched. Bog immediately stopped walking and sighed.

“Willow. I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to hurt ye.” He whispered the apology then let his eyes plead for Willow’s forgiveness.

“It’s ok. It was only a scratch.” Willow didn’t look up as she tended to her work. She said nothing more and Bog took the hint. He trudged to his desk and his own pile of reports he needed to record. That was the end of that. Bog kept his eyes on his work as his heart ached over his loss and what he had done. He reminded himself to feel that hurt and strengthen his resolve to never allow himself to be hurt like this again. It was bad enough that he had hurt Willow, embarrassed himself and been rejected, but now he had to work in the same room with her. His initial feelings had felt good, but now he was just miserable.  
\-----------------------------------

Bog was relieved when the sun set and his daily work was done. He had changed his initial plan in favor of a new one. There wouldn’t be a raid tonight or one for awhile. They had plenty of food in storage to feed them through the winter. He felt the need to lay low in case the Fairy King had planned retaliation for their raids.

Now, Bog discreetly left the castle carrying a sizable chunk of raw amber. He was going to make good on his payment to the Sugar Plum Fairy, even though it had failed because he had another use for her. She knew magic.

Bog had a plan.

Despite his hurt and anger, Bog managed to politely knock on Sugar Plum’s door. Everything looked the same as it had the night before.   
“Come in!” Sugar Plum’s chipper voice called out immediately. 

Bog slowly pushed the door open. He made his way through the entry and into the sitting room where Sugar Plum was sitting in the corner chair she had been sitting in when Bog had last visited. She had a book open in her hands, which she closed and laid down on the small coffee table in front of her.  
“Good evening, Bog!” She threw a cheerful smile at him. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon!”

“I brought ye the amber ye wanted.” Bog held out his offering, his eyes fixed on the ground. He wasn’t sure if his eyes would betray his intentions.  
“How did things go?” Plum looked at Bog with interest.

“It’s private. I’m waiting for the right moment.” Bog replied with the slightest of smiles, still not looking up. He hoped his answer would be enough. “Where should I put this?” He held up the amber.

“Anywhere is fine!” Plum grinned settling back into her chair. “Is that all you wanted, Bog?”

“No.” Bog placed the Amber on the floor next to the couch. “I wanted to ask ye about magic and if anyone could learn how to use it. It would be a good thing to learn for a future king, wouldn’t it?”

Sugar Plum studied Bog thoughtfully. She had a few fairies and elves with an aptitude for magic, but Bog would be something new. She held out her hands palm up and smiled at him. “Let’s see if you have any ability before I say anything, Bog. Give me your hands.”

Bog drew his hands up to his chest, indecisively entwining his clawed fingers. What was he willing to do to have his revenge on Sugar Plum? Bog stepped forward and tentatively placed his massive hands on top of Sugar Plum’s tiny ones. She curled her fingers around Bog’s hands and held them for a moment. Bog felt a strange tingle of warmth spread through his hands that caught him off-guard. Sparkles of light rippled up over his hands and traveled up his heavily armored arms. His eyes widened in shock, unsure of what was happening.

Energy coursed over his armored plating. Green and gold light lit up the room and then Sugar Plum withdrew her hands and laughed. “I can work with that.”

“With what?” Bog’s eyes were still wide as he stared at the tiny sparkling fairy.

“You have a propensity for creation and nature magic. It’s passive magic. Your father very likely has the same energy.” Sugar Plum smiled up at Bog.  
“What does that mean?” Bog tried to hide is impatience for a clear answer.

“With practice, you can create interesting things and manipulate the land around you. It’s why the Dark Forest is so healthy.” Sugar Plum rattled on a few more examples of how special the Dark Forest was and also about why the elves’ fields near the dark forest were always twice as productive as the other fields. It explained why the elves persisted in keeping their fields where they were.

“I’m going to give you something to practice creating and I want you to create as many of them as you can to get good at it.” Sugar Plum waved her long fingers in the air, concentrating on it. There was nothing in her hand and then there was a life-size crystalline dewdrop with a gentle blue glow lighting it up from within.

Bog gasped. He had never seen true magic performed in front of him. Sugar Plum held the dew drop out to him and Bog accepted it in awe.   
“Careful with it,” Sugar Plum warned with a giggle. “They are delicate and will go out if they are struck. Bog nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the tiny marvel in his hands.

“I can create this?” Bog whispered glancing at Sugar Plum then back at the dewdrop. It was cool in his hand. The light inside shimmered warmly, but it did not give off any heat.

“With practice.” Sugar Plum stressed. “Create the container first. Then create the light.”

“But HOW?” Bog fixed Sugar Plum with a stare of disbelief.

“You will it into existence, Bog. Look at the one I gave you and see two of them. It will take you some time. When you can create one flawlessly every time you try, then you can return to me for another lesson.”

Bog carefully held the dewdrop, not truly believing he could create one as effortlessly as Sugar Plum had, but he was willing to try.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne goes exploring and Bog does some scaring!

Marianne did her best to follow the rules. She wasn’t the best of students, but she excelled in her studies. For young fairies and elves school was daily from morning to lunch time. Most of their time was spent learning how to read and write along with history. There was also a lot of time spent on customs, music and dancing. Occasionally they touched on science and math.

Fairies and elves were taught together, but over the months Marianne noticed that some of her classmates were put into other classes and soon her class had dwindled in size and changed focus. What she didn’t know was that her classmates were being arranged around her to suit her educational environment.

Marianne was more comfortable with the smaller class of only a dozen children. Most of them were other fairies. These hand picked few were more compliant personalities who absolutely loved Marianne and didn’t care that she was a little strange. In turn, fitting in with this group led to Marianne being more confident in her interactions. Each one of her classmates was a little different in their own ways.

Darron loved to play music. Elli was fascinated by armor. Jonathan loved sparring with Marianne and anyone else he could get to do it, but held little interest in actually joining the guard. Even at his young age he liked studying weapons and teaching others how to use them. Nadia was a storyteller with a vivid imagination. Most importantly, each one of them didn’t bully other children.

Even though Marianne was surrounded by children that were far more accepting of her than others, she still had an urge to explore. She tried hard to sit still for classes and pay attention, but more often than not she managed to slip her teachers before noon and take off in a random direction into the outlaying fairy lands. Even on foot she could travel quickly.

Marianne learned to hitch rides on carts pulled by rabbits to go on adventures. Who knew where the rabbits were going! Sometimes they would go to the closest elf town. Other times they went to further towns or a farm. One had gone back to the castle rock. Marianne had been very disappointed by that journey.

Today she hopped on top of a cart piled with hay. Fall was coming and everyone was too busy to notice a little fairy girl scrambling up the side of a cart and nestling into the top of the pile. It was scratchy and pokey at first but once Marianne had her wings positioned just right beneath her she was resting comfortably and able to stare up at the sky as she was transported off to adventure.

The clear blue sky beckoned to her. Some day her wings would be strong enough to carry her up high like any other fairy. Sadly, that day was not today. For now, she fantasized that she was floating on a nice warm breeze rather than riding on a pile of sun dried grass being taken to a store house.

The cart stopped at the closest rabbit warren. That wasn’t far enough for Marianne. She slid off the side and darted down a path she had never been down before. These were her favorite paths, because she didn’t know where they went.

Soon, Marianne’s eyes were drawn to something she didn’t get to see often. The edge of the dark forest was in sight and the leaves on every tree were in the process of turning from green to varying shades of orange, gold and red. Marianne cut through a field of wildflowers to get to the edge of the forest faster. As long as she stayed in the light, she would be safe.

Marianne made it to the edge of the dark forest and looked up at the massive gnarled trees in awe. In the light of day they didn’t look menacing, especially not with the canopy of bright colors currently shading them. Everything was so bright. She had to get a closer look.

The little fairy cautiously stepped up to the closest tree. She peered around it into the undergrowth, then she glanced back at the brightly lit field behind her with its beautiful flowers and the sounds of elves working in another nearby field full of towering corn stalks. That could be fun too, but there were elves there.

Marianne took a breath and walked around the tree trunk and into the dark forest. It was thrilling to be in a place she was absolutely forbidden from going into. She wouldn’t go too far. Slowly Marianne walked along the dark side of the forest where she could still see glimpses of the fields on the other side.

=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-

She wasn’t undetected. Several small goblins on patrol had spotted her immediately and were watching the strange little fairy with fascination.

“What is going on?” Bog loomed over the goblins startling them.

“Oh! Boss!”

“There’s a fairy!”

“There’s a fairy in the dark forest!”

The trio of goblins stammered and pointed. Bog looked in the direction the goblins were pointing and immediately saw the flash of violet wings. What now? Bog had just been out stretching his wings when he saw these three focused on something and just had to see what it was. This time of year was not a time when fairies were even seen nera the border let alone past it. It would be too cold for them soon and they were busy preparing for that time of year. They would hole up in their castle and not come out until spring.

Bog grumbled and flew closer to observe the fairy. She was walking a few steps, looking into the dark forest, then she would look back to the lit field on the other side. Bog landed up high on a tree branch where he could see her, but she would not see him. What was she doing? Was she spying? She seemed a little short for a spy. Now that he was thinking about it she clearly was not an adult. Were they sending children into the dark forest to spy on them? That didn’t seem likely.

Marianne happily explored the area of the dark forest she could reach unaware that she was being watched. There were more goblins becoming aware she was nearby. They were hiding and watching her, confused by her presence. Even the dimmer among the goblins could see she was a child. Bog considered for a moment. He could let things go as they were and the fairy child would likely end up being grabbed by a goblin and spirited off to be raised as one of them. That did not typically end well for the fairy child.

Bog scowled in memory of the last time that had happened. The fairies had not been happy and had demanded the child be returned. Unfortunately, that child had lived among the goblins for long enough that he decided he wanted to stay with the goblins and the family that had taken him fled the dark forest with him. Bog wasn’t sure where they went, but the fairies never recovered the child and as far as he knew he was happily living somewhere as a goblin.

The fairy girl climbed up on a rock and started walking further into the forest. Something shiny had caught her eye. Bog sighed and rolled his eyes to the heavens. He had to act immediately. The last thing he wanted was fairies demanding to know where a lost child was. He had to keep these concerns away from his father. Bog had to protect him.

Bog dropped from where he was hiding with a loud cracking sound as he purposely hit several dry limbs on the way down. He shredded several leaves in the process. His wings rattled as he flew and landed immediately in front of the girl in a crouch, his hands up in a reaching motion so she could clearly see his claws. It had the desired effect. She cringed backward and swept her wings out in fear.

Bog bared his teeth, grinding them for effect. He glared as hard as he could. She took a few steps back making a whimpering sound.

“What do we have here? A wee little fairy?” Bog rose as he advanced, keeping his hands up and looming over her. “Fairies are not allowed in the dark forest. If you come any further I will have to rip your wings off and spirit ye off into a cage for the rest of yer life! And we’ll,…” Bog hesitated. He wasn’t sure what to threaten. He’d already threatened to rip her wings off. That was an awful thing for anyone to experience. And a cage? There were many cages in the castle, but they were never filled and Bog wasn’t entirely sure what else to add. “We’ll poke you with sharp sticks!” Bog made a little jump and snarl.

Marianne was silent for a moment, then she screamed and fled. She leaped off the rock and glided to the safety of the other side of the trees. She was in the light now. Bog expected her to keep running, but she only went a few steps past where she landed. She turned around and did the oddest thing. She smiled, even though she still looked scared. Then she turned and vanished into the grass without another sound.

Bog stared after her.

What a strange fairy girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did some editing of half a dozen really dumb errors. As a reminder: I do not edit these. They are completely freeform... ok.. until I come back and see I duplicated the, used affect instead of effect and forgot an o on too... ugh.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog learns patience.
> 
> Marianne learns fear.

Bog took his studies in magic seriously. He also kept them private. Magic tended to make goblins anxious so he could not practice it in the castle. He was hesitant to bring it up to his father and decided it was best kept a secret and he knew just where to carry out his practice.

There was a small cave close to the castle that Bog had played in as a child. It was more of a vertical shaft in the rocks that was big enough for him to easily fly around in. The other goblins avoided the area because it was too treacherous for them. The opening led to an immediate drop into darkness. Bog had found it a lot of fun to explore with an amberlight, but now it looked like the best place to store his attempts.

Bog spent several days just staring at the dewdrop that Sugar Plum had given him. He tried so hard that he often left the cave with a severe headache. He was almost to the point of giving up when he finally formed a tiny glass shard. He had sighed in defeat, relaxed then idly looked at the crystal then his empty hand. His vision had momentarily blurred from weariness and when he blinked he saw the shard that was almost the right shape even if it was nothing but sharp edges.

He had accomplished magic! Bog felt a surge of pride when he saw what he had created and then he did it again. This one was a little bigger and a little smoother. Actually managing to create one was the first step. From there he worked on refining them. Over and over he created them until there were piles of flawed crystals on the floor of the cave. They were almost the right shape, but they did not contain any light. Bog began idly anchoring them to the ceiling with an idea of a better way to store them.

The bottom of the cave was a mess and it bothered Bog. He preferred things, even trash, to be orderly and clean. When he started chaining the dewdrops with magic he began to actually enjoy it. It was something he created and he felt a considerable amount of pride in them. Soon, there were multiple chains and each one was perfect, but none of them were lit.

Creating the chains had an affect on Bog. It became a relaxing activity to get rid of his worries. He had to clear his mind to do it. He was learning patience with each one, forming them with care then flying them up to a new chain. He repeated the cycle over and over, getting a perfect dew drop a hundred times and then a hundred more. He wanted that part perfect before he tried the light.

The chill of winter had set in when Bog tried to light the first one.

It exploded in his hands and left deep cuts on his palms and arms. Bog was frustrated by the accident and had to grumble about ice falling on him while he was on patrol when his mother saw the injuries. She had fussed over him and Bog had avoided the cave for a few days.

He was too stubborn to entirely give up and returned to try again, this time with far less enthusiasm. Bog was rewarded with a tiny, barely perceptible flicker of flame. It only took one time for him to realize his mistake. He had been too excited when he tried to create the glow inside and had overpowered it. That was the lesson he had already learned with the dewdrop itself, but this meant he needed more patience, even when he was excited. He had to remain calm.

Bog was more careful with each of the new crystals, gradually increasing the glow and learning from each one. If Bog hadn’t been so mad at Sugar Plum he would have been impressed with what he was learning from something he thought was a stupidly simple exercise. He mastered creating the glowing dewdrops every time in a couple of weeks, but kept on making them for weeks more. He did not want to risk any error when he visited Sugar Plum next. He needed her to teach him more.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Snow.

Snow!

Marianne bounced in front of the sealed window in her room. There were heavy curtains pulled over it to help keep out the cold, but Marianne had managed to squirm her way around them and stood in the sill. She had wiped the window’s condensation away and could see outside. Giant flakes of snow were covering the world outside in a soft white blanket.

“Want to see!” Dawn squealed from the other side of the curtain trying to work her way around it. Marianne slid off the sill and moved the curtain enough to let her little sister join her. She even lifted her up to stand on the sill, careful of her draped wings.

“See. SNOW!” Marianne wiped the window, showing Dawn how to see outside. Dawn pressed her face to the glass and giggled. “We aren’t supposed to go out in it though.” Marianne stated sadly. She wanted to see it up close so much. The entire castle was sealed. The only places that were open were for ventilation.

Fairies didn’t have a high tolerance to the cold and sealed themselves inside following the first frost until the spring thaw. Elves were better able to exist in it, but they tended to use tunnels to get around to avoid being directly out in the elements. Marianne thought about that for a moment. Elves came and went like normal. There might be some doors that Marianne hadn’t thought of. She could follow an elf and see where they went. The idea popped into her head and she couldn’t get rid of it. Marianne peered out the window and smiled. She wanted to see one of those snow flakes up close.

They were so beautiful.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne was good at getting into places she shouldn’t. She snuck down into the lower level of the castle when she knew she would not be missed for a few hours. She was supposed to be taking a nap after lunch. Marianne held a soft blanket draped over her head. It was going to be cold outside. She only planned to be outside for a few minutes.

Elves were busily running packages up from the store rooms, but several were bundling up for going outside. Marianne hid herself behind the draping curtains that covered the windows and watched them. Nobody saw her. Everyone was too preoccupied with their daily work.

Soon, Marianne’s patience was rewarded. Several elves walked by her hiding spot carrying empty baskets. They were wearing thick heavy coats and boots. Marianne ran from curtain to curtain down a hallway that was mostly empty. Her thin slippers didn’t make a sound. The floor seemed to be getting colder the further she went and she knew she was going the right way.

Then she heard a door open and a blast of cold air shot through the hallway. Marianne couldn’t help but giggle with anticipation. She quickly covered her mouth and took a peek to see where they went. There were no elves in sight, but there was a scattering of snow on the floor in front of a small elf sized door at the end of the hall.

Marianne ran to look at the snow on the floor. She put her hands in it and swished it around, but was disappointed to see it was already melting. Marianne looked up at the door, then back down the hallway. She grabbed the door’s handle and pulled. It swung open easily and Marianne had to blink several times in the brilliant light that flooded inside. She smiled and slipped out into the light, darting out into the snow.

Giant clumps of wet snow were falling everywhere. She could see them up close and tried to catch them. She dropped her blanket and held her arms up as one giant snowy flake fell into her arms. It was so cold that Marianne yelped and quickly flung her arms out to get it off of her. Another fell on her shoulder and it was so cold that it caused a burning sensation to burst through Marianne’s bare skin.

Marianne cried and tried to brush it off, then she looked for the blanket. Another flake fluttered against her leg and she stumbled. The blanket was just a few steps away. Marianne scrambled to it and grabbed it. She threw it over her shoulders and immediately realized her mistake. It was covered in snow and ice cold.

Marianne squealed and stumbled back to the door. She fell into the snow and burst into tears. The door seemed so far away and she couldn’t even open her eyes. The cold was sapping all of her energy as more flakes fell on her.

Then several sets of hands landed on her, picking her up out of the snow. Marianne dimly heard worried voices as she shivered. She was being carried. Marianne was aware of only that. Her teeth were chattering and she was shaking from the extreme cold. It had only been a few minutes, but that was all it would take to kill a fairy.

 

Marianne was rushed through the halls by frightened elves, while others ran to find her father. She ended up in the closest healer’s room. Her wet clothes had been removed and she was wrapped in a warm blanket in an effort to bring her body heat up. Marianne had no idea what was going on. The only thing she could think about was how cold she was and how much she wanted to be warm again. She was never going to go outside in the snow again. That much was for certain. She had never hurt so much in her life.

Then she felt movement and heard her father’s worried voice calling her name. He was patting her cheek as he held her in the blanket. Marianne’s lips were blue and her cheeks pale, but her eyelids twitched in response, then she opened her eyes. For a moment she saw nothing but blurred shapes, then she saw her father’s face as he hugged her tightly.

Marianne whimpered as she was rocked. She couldn’t feel anything but shaking and a little bit of stinging on her face. Her father held her while more blankets were brought and then he tried to get her to sip warm tea. Marianne was reluctant, she was still shaking, but she managed a few swallows of the bitter liquid.

Whatever was in it had an immediate effect. Warmth flooded thorugh Marianne’s body and she stopped shaking. She was still cold, but also more aware of herself. She sniffled and snuggled up to her father sobbing softly. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry!” Marianne’s sob broke into a wail as fear of what had just happened set in.

“You’re going to be okay, that’s all that matters.” King Dagda held his daughter securely not bothering to stop his own tears. In just a few minutes, he had almost lost his precious Marianne. Losing her after losing his wife would have been unbearable.

“I didn’t like it out there!” Marianne cried. Outside in the wintertime. Absolutely never again. That wasn’t a boundary that was worth toying with. Her father held her tight and cried uncontrollably. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After writing some really awful things in Blackwood that Bog had to go through, I thought that was the saddest thing I was going to write in the last 48 hours.
> 
> I was wrong.
> 
> I would be lying if I didn't admit to feeling so bad for this that it's hard to see my screen as I type this. I just finished it and am uploading immediately.
> 
> Tiny little creatures vs snow, especially a five year old just don't fare well. It doesn't take long for a human child to succumb to hypothermia. A little fairy probably has even less of a chance. 
> 
> I know I've read other fics that have the fairies simply leaving the area and migrating away. I'm considered having them move just a bit further away to a winter home, but then decided to go this route. I went this route because I decided Bog's castle makes use of a geothermal vent for heat during the winter and the fairies should also be able to tap into it.
> 
> This has future ramifications since Bog doesn't have these problems with the cold.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog has to deal with great loss for the first time in his life.

Winter was boring. With the majority of the goblins hibernating Bog had a lot more free time than he was used to. His parents didn’t question him about what he was doing or where he was going. They were busy enjoying each others company without any goblins pestering them for this or that. Bog spent a lot of time visiting Sugar Plum and practicing magic. He was getting good at it. Sugar Plum had been ecstatic when he created the first dewdrop flawlessly and immediately given him a book to study about nature magic, which she continually insisted was his thing. She was helping him draw from his passive energies and it was amazing. She opened his eyes to what he could do and while most of it seemed frivolous, it kept the door open with Sugar Plum.

  
He needed to get stronger before he made his move and the timing wasn’t right.

  
Bog’s schedule had changed drastically. He still spent time with his father and had even broached the subject of magic with him. The Bog King had shaken his head at his son. “Magic isn’t for goblins.” He had said cautiously, glancing around as if the word would suddenly awaken the hibernating goblins in a panic. “It’s dangerous in the wrong hands.”

  
“What about yer staff?” Bog had pointed at it. The elderly king was using it more to lean on than wield these days.

  
“I will teach ye in the spring.” His father had smiled at him. “And if I am not here to teach ye, remember the books. Everything is written in my journals. Only ye can access them because only ye will need to.” Bog had been disturbed by the answer. The last time he had sparred with his father had been months ago.

  
Bog ignored what he was seeing. It hurt too much to see his father fading. He had been a powerful leader and a good father to him for 17 years and now he had changed suddenly within the past few months. The cold wasn’t doing him any favors. It never bothered him before, but now he wore a heavy fur cloak and spent more time by the fire with his wife. Bog avoided being around them as much as he could.

=-=-=-=-=-=

The morning Bog woke to wailing seemed so much colder than any other morning he could recall. The sound echoed through the halls and Bog was immediately up to investigate. The chill was not just in the air, it was in his bones. Something was wrong. Bog left his room and realized the wailing was coming from his parents room. He hurried through their doors not bothering to knock and found his mother bent over his father crying hysterically.

  
Bog froze. His heart seemed to just stop and the world crashed around him plunging him into darkness and despair. The Bog King had passed away silently in the night. He had a peaceful smile on his well worn scarred face. Bog felt a lump rising quickly in his throat and he fought it weakly for just a moment, then he joined his mother in mourning.

-=-=-=-=-

Bog couldn’t function without being told what to do. His mother had tearfully instructed him to carry his father down to the coldest part of the castle. They could not hold a proper funeral until the goblins had woken from their sleep and that would still be a couple of months from now. The thought of his father having to wait for his pyre saddened Bog further and paralyzed him. As his only son, he would be the one speaking and sending his father off. He would be the one the goblins would look to for leadership and he wasn’t sure he was ready for it.

  
By goblin standards, Bog was well into adulthood. By his father’s standards, he was still a child and it stuck with him. When his father’s body was placed in a safe place he had to be told to leave by his mother. He waited outside for her while she mourned for what seemed like hours. He couldn’t go anywhere. He couldn’t think. Bog’s entire mind was blank for the first time in his life and he stared at the floor in a daze.

  
His mother found him hours later. Just standing outside the door with his head down, staring at the floor, his wings limp, shoulders slumped. The sight of her only son completely shut down snapped Griselda into action. She was still mourning, but her boy needed her and she had left him alone with his own misery.

  
Bog found himself seated at the dining table with his mother trying to get him to eat or drink something. He couldn’t focus on the food, The gnawing pit within him made him nauseous at the sight of it. Realizing he wouldn’t eat, Griselda took him to sit by the fire and just be with him. It was something Bog couldn’t remember his mother doing for a long time. She sat next to him, an arm around him talking to him gently and trying to comfort him every way she knew how. It was a distraction for her that she needed, but for Bog, he was too crippled with sadness to fully appreciate it.

  
The inability to think or do anything continued for several days. He didn’t eat. He couldn’t sleep. Griselda worried and fretted about it more and more with each day. Then the fog suddenly lifted and the physical toll took over. Bog slept and dreamed. In that dream he saw his father as he remembered him. Strong. Capable. Powerful. He was talking to him, but Bog couldn’t understand what he was saying. He could only feel a warm comfortable sensation. His father’s love for him.

  
“Yer a good boy. Ye'll be a good king.” And his father had smiled and handed him his staff. And then Bog woke. He felt refreshed, still sad, but able to think. His first thoughts went immediately to the fact that he was neglecting his duties. What if something had happened while he had been out of it? What if some creature had found their home and attacked? What if fairies had suddenly decided winter was a great time to attack the goblins? What if? What if? The thoughts spurred him into action.

  
The first thing he did was find his mother and apologize to her for his selfish actions. He had hugged her and eaten a good meal. She was relieved to see him up and around. Then Bog set off for a quick patrol. He needed to return to his routine immediately. The cold air was invigorating as he flew around his forest. His domain. Bog’s quick patrol turned into a long one as he flew the entire perimeter of the dark forest.

  
It was vast. On the wing, it was easy to circle the whole of it in a day, but on foot, it would take much longer. Bog checked on the hibernating bats, the owls, and finally his cat. The massive jet black animal stayed outside the forest because it terrified the goblins. Bog would often go and see her and today she met him with affectionate purrs and head butts, which considering the size difference almost knocked Bog to the ground. He spent a little time with her then set off again.

  
The sun was beginning to set by the time Bog returned home. He ate again and was in better spirits when his mother laid the staff on the table in front of him. Bog stared at the staff. The amber rock glowed faintly. Bog drew back and away from it. He wasn’t ready for it. He didn’t want it. It belonged to his father. It never left his hands.

  
“Bog.” Griselda grabbed one of his hands. “You need to take the staff. It’s yours now. You are the king.”

  
Bog nervously stared at his mother. He didn’t even want to touch it. It belonged to his father.

  
“Bog. Son. You are the king.” She moved his hand to lay it on the staff.

  
Bog took a deep breath as his hand landed on the cool hard metal.

  
“You know your father is not coming back. The Goblins need a leader, Bog. That is you.” Griselda patted his hand and gave him an encouraging and solemn look. “You are just like your father. You are a good man.”

  
Bog stared at his mother as the list of sins that he had committed in the past months flew into him. He had lied to his father. He had lied to his mother. He had been practicing magic. He had intervened in communications with the fairy kingdom. He was not a good person at all and it sank in.

  
But he could be better. He could live up to his father’s image. He could do it. He would make him proud. Bog’s fingers slowly curled around the staff and he lifted it. At first, it was heavy and unwieldy, but then it seemed to accept him and the metal turned warm beneath his hands. He felt a surge of power from the staff as he rose to his feet. His wings twitched and rattled briefly behind him at a strange tingling sensation that rippled from the staff and over his shoulders.

  
He was the king.

  
Bog’s hand clenched the staff tighter and he smiled at his mother. He would be a good king.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor traumatized Bog. He really loved his father and he only had two people he loves at all. Losing one, even though he knew it was coming, and denied it, hit him hard. And here is where we begin very Bog heavy chapters which I'm sure will be enjoyed, especially those things that were hinted at that would not come until the passing of his father occurred.
> 
> Note that those journals of his father keep being mentioned. Bog should seriously go and look at them.
> 
> I am currently on a writing high, because I woke up this morning with scenes running through my head that would take place during the movie. I was already reaching the point of getting close to doing that initial setup.  
> Oh the things that are yet to come, because I am filling up spaces that were missing as far as I am concerned. I've written five chapters today. Four are leading up to the wedding. One takes place immediately after the infidelity is discovered. That one.... is a teeny tiny .. nah, not going to share that. It's a tease. A massive, very long torturing tease for Bog. The more I write, the more I love the poor guy.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pyre burns.  
> The King is dead.  
> Long live the new King!
> 
> Bog and King Dagda have a little discussion.

The fire burned and the ashes were taken up into the sky. The funeral pyre blazed and had been blazing since morning. The attending goblins, the entire population of the dark forest were gathered to mourn the passing of their king. Bog watched the flickering flames and ash and realized that even though the body was gone, his father’s ashes would be everywhere in the forest. He would always be with him.

  
Bog stood with his mother the entire time. They were wearing ceremonial cloaks made from the fox his father had killed so long ago. It was one of the few times they wore any clothes. The other goblins were also wearing various scraps of fur over their heads and shoulders as they wailed and roared for their fallen king. The sound was overwhelming and echoed through the forest and into the neighboring fairy lands.

  
Fairies and elves stayed away from the forest out of fear of what was going on. Scouts were sent to investigate and soon returned with news that the Bog King had passed away. It was rare for scouts to go into the dark forest, but the king had thought it would be good to know what was going on since the goblins would most likely not tell them. The scouts were never seen, not even by Bog who was concentrating on the pyre.

  
King Dagda realized he was going to need to try again to make contact with the goblins. Now that there was a new king, he needed to make the first move. He wasn’t sure what this new leader would be like. He assumed it was the son, but wasn’t entirely sure.

-=-=-==-

Bog took his duties more seriously than he ever had before. Following the funeral he led a full out raid on the closest elf village, plundering their stores to ensure his people feasted following their winter sleep. In their hunger the goblins had also ended up breaking into numerous homes and terrorizing families, something which had never happened before. Bog ignored what was going on. He was still nursing anger at the King’s broken word. The medicines they had sent in the first tributes were long gone and they might have helped his father when he was weakening.

  
By the time the goblins were done part of the village was on fire. The fairy kingdom’s closest regiment had been called and was coming. The goblins were long gone by the time the armed troops arrived and Bog felt the entire ordeal was thrilling. He was having fun. The goblins were his to command and they did everything he told them to without question.

==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  


King Dagda sighed as he listened to the reports. Ten homes had been destroyed and there were now ten families that were homeless. A whole town had almost all of its storehouses emptied of all food and other items had been broken and ruined in the process. Several elves had been hurt, but none had been killed.

Commander Davins was on a rampage. “We need to take our army and respond to this invasion immediately! It is a declaration of war! The goblins are out of control and their new king is cruel and evil!” The other council members stared at their king.

  
“I will take a delegation into the dark forest and force them into a meeting.” The King rose to his feet.

  
“You can’t do that. They’ll kill you.” Commander Davins was quick to state. The other council members murmured in agreement.

  
King Dagda frowned at his commander. The man was quick to want to risk lives and times he seemed far more blood thirsty than the king liked. The goblins were dangerous, but they had never killed anyone. If they had never killed anyone it was likely they would not lay a hand on the king if he entered their forest. Even under the new king no one had been killed, even if things had escalated to a level previously unseen.

  
“I will go alone.” The Fairy King had firmly made up his mind. “With my sword. I will be safe even if they do attempt to attack me.” If the attacks continued, he knew that they would have to respond by invading the dark forest and attacking their castle. Lives would be lost. Fairy and goblin. That was not something the king desired at all. The murmuring continued, but the king had already turned to walk away and would hear none of their arguments. He had preparations to make.

-=-=-=-

“Tears a fiery is the furriest!” The message came from one of the smaller goblins. Thang, he recalled. Bog had given the small goblin a confused look from his throne. It was them again. These two never got messages right and happened to always be wandering by the mushrooms when they had a message. Stuff was grinning innocently. Bog had the sneakiest suspicion that Stuff was feeding Thang the wrong words.

  
“What?”

  
“Uh.” The tiny froggish goblin looked down concentrating on what he had been told. “Tears burn when you cry a lot and your eyes get all furry, err, blurry??” He ventured uncertainly.

  
Bog sighed and got up to go check the message himself. It was almost time for him to leave the castle to go on patrol anyway.

=-=-=-=-=

“There’s a fairy in the forest??” Bog stared at the mushroom. It couldn’t be. Why would a fairy be in the forest. The mushrooms whispered to him another message. “Green armor carrying a sword. Wearing a crown. He’s walking in and is waiting to talk to me at the entrance?” Bog scowled. He did not want to talk to him and he knew exactly who it was. The Fairy King was summoning him like some common goblin. Still. He was trespassing in HIS forest. He had to go and see what he wanted and escort him out.

  
Bog took his time. If the Fairy King wanted to see him so bad, then he could wait. Bog had other things to do, like patrol. Bog went about his business and several hours later made his way to the entrance. The Fairy King was standing out in the open a good distance from the entrance to the dark forest. There were goblins watching him curiously from all sides. They had been watching him for hours but none had dared approach him. The Fairy King didn’t have his sword drawn and wasn’t doing anything but standing patiently.

  
Bog winged around making a racket with his wings as he circled the Fairy King, then he landed with a dramatic thud a few feet in front of him, kicking up the dirt with his wings. He rattled his wings threateningly as he planted his staff in front of himself and loomed over the shorter fairy. He was a good head taller, even crouched.

  
This wasn’t the thin young boy King Dagda remembered. He stood taller than his father had with a slightly heavier build and the look he was giving him was pure threat. He was intimidating, but the Fairy King was not one to back down.

“Bog King.” King Dagda stated diplomatically. “You and I need to have a word about the attack last night. That can not happen again.”

  
“Why not?” Bog spat back at him, leaning over to glare and grind his sharp crooked teeth. This was the first time he had to actually threaten someone like this and Bog hoped it was working. He could back it up, but he preferred not having to. Harming the fairy king would have repercussions. “Ye didn’t keep yer word and ye lied to my father. Do ye understand what ye did? My father is dead because of ye and yer stupid hunt that ye didn’t even give the tribute ye promised fer.” Bog’s pauldrons raised and his armor plates shifted out making him appear bigger than he had before. He raised his wings and let them continue twitching against each other. He was suddenly so mad he wanted to strike out, but he held himself back.

  
The Fairy King stared at him incredulously going over what he had said. The tribute had been delivered faithfully, hadn’t it? He chose his next words carefully. “When did the tribute stop?”

  
“Almost a year ago.” Bog snapped. “Ye should know.” The Fairy King’s blank face almost took Bog completely off guard. Perhaps it had been so unimportant to him that he had forgotten about it.

  
“I see. I will look into the matter.” King Dagda spoke slowly, trying to recall how it could have been forgotten and then the time lined up mentally to the passing of his wife. He had let a lot of things slip at that point and the council had taken up his matters. He had assumed the council was also handling the tributes since he had even asked about it.

  
“Leave.” Bog growled motioning to the path out of the Dark Forest with his staff. And then he advanced on the king. “This is my forest and ye are not welcome here. No fairy is welcome here. We will kill any fairy we see enter this forest!” Bog was done. He wanted the intruder out of his sight and was blinded by rage as he kept walking.

  
The king surprisingly stood his ground until Bog was looming over him. He showed him no fear. “Bog. When Kings speak they do not have to use displays of threat to get what they want.” King Dagda defiantly stood up to him with his hand on the hilt of his sword. “You have a lot to learn about being a wise ruler.”

  
Bog growled in response, his anger almost overwhelming his senses. The Fairy King turned his back on him and walked out as casually as if he had just left afternoon tea with friends. Bog continued baring his teeth at him but did not follow.

  
“You don’t have to be evil to keep us out of your forest.” The Fairy King called back as he kept walking. “We respect your authority here.”

  
Bog rose to his full height and stopped making faces. The Fairy King wasn’t afraid of him in the least. Not like the usual fairies. Bog still didn’t like him. The man had lied to his father. Yet, he had said the right words to sway Bog’s logic. He decided that they should not raid any more towns for awhile. They had enough food to get them through until they could hunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though we see King Dagda as fat and not active in any way, at this point, he has his kingly duties and he’s NOT afraid of Bog. He can see right through him and his bluffs. But he’s not the type to call him out. The Fairy King has NOTHING to prove. He also doesn’t have a need to humiliate Bog. He actually does feel sorry for him.
> 
> Also the start of Bog letting things get out of hand. 
> 
> I am writing chapter 27 right now. Currently walking around with hearts and the words: Love! Love! Love! floating around my head at all times.
> 
> *GROAN*


	21. Chapter 21 - Dealing With Sugar Plum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog's plan is put into motion to rid the Dark Forest of love.

Bog didn’t realize it was spring until he began seeing a large number of goblins pairing up and being affectionate with each other in the halls of the castle. It was well into the pairing season by that time. It began with discrete nonsense. Male goblins teasing females. Females biting males in annoyance. It was ridiculous. It was also annoying. Soon they would begin snuggling and all over each other without regard to where they were. That was the part that tipped Bog over the edge.

  
All that affection that he could not share in was infuriating. He was jealous of all the love going around him and the brightly colored decorations that had sprung up around the castle. The halls were covered in red heart leaves and chains of flowers. His mother’s doing. He tolerated it for a few days, but then it reached a point of being overwhelming.

  
“No more LOVE in the dark forest!” He had roared through the castle ripping down the decorations and disrupting any and all of the goblins he caught kissing and snuggling together. They could take that garbage to their private quarters. He didn’t care what they did there. They still needed to reproduce. That was a given, but he did not have to see what led up to it.

  
His mother had been so crushed when he made his proclamation, but she held her tongue understanding that Bog was going through a tough time. He had not confided in her the incident that had ultimately led up to his decree. The goblins were terrified of this side of him and did as he asked, many breaking off all of their relations for fear of upsetting their king. Goblins are simple people. No love literally meant NO LOVE to many of them. The ramifications would not be known for years to come, but the price would be paid.

  
Then, Bog fled the castle with one goal in mind. It was time to take care of the Sugar Plum Fairy. He flew as fast his wings could take him carrying his staff with him and going through the conversation he was going to have. Sugar Plum was a powerful fairy. She was small but her grasp on magic was astonishing. He had no desire to kill her, but he would prevent her from ever ruining anyone else’s life with her awful love potion.

  
When he arrived at her home it was dusk. He lighted on her door step, stood for a moment and then knocked with his staff. He had a plan. It would work. “Come in!” Sugar Plum’s voice called out cheerfully. She was sitting in her tiny living area like she normally was when Bog visited at this time. He ducked the door having to turn sideways to fit into the small entry. His shoulders were much too broad to enter in any other way. The living area was more cramped than he remembered.

  
“Good evening, Sugar Plum.” He began politely while rage burned within him.

  
“Good evening, Bog!” She smiled and noted his staff. Her eyes opened wide and her expression dropped. “It’s true then. Your father has passed. My condolences.” She spoke gently. Bog was one of her favorite students. “Hail to the new Bog King.” Sugar Plum bowed her head forward in respect.

  
For a brief moment, Bog reconsidered what he was about to do. Sugar Plum had taught him so much. But then he hardened his heart. No. He was on this course and he was going fulfill what he had begun months prior. “Thank you, Sugar Plum.”

  
Bog took a seat and laid his staff over his lap, head low and trying to keep himself in a non threatening posture. Fire was rippling through his back and his wings twitched with anticipation. “I need yer help. There is a magical creature in my forest that needs to be contained. I believe it is a Gaunt.” Bog had done his research. He had never seen one, but he had heard stories. It was a magical creature that loved to hunt and eat both fairies and goblins. It was a tough creature that normal weapons would not harm. “I need a trap that will contain it and make it easy to keep locked up.”

  
“A trap for a magical creature.” Sugar Plum looked thoughtful. “I know just the thing! I’ll even teach you how to make them!” The glittering fairy zipped off into her workshop and returned several minutes later with a long stick that had a cup formed out of branches on one end. There was a spider hanging onto the end of one of the branches. “This is something you will easily be able to do.” She handed the stick to Bog. “Hold it up for me.”

  
Sugar Plum looked Bog in the eyes. “Pay close attention.” And then she began speaking to the spider. She waved her fingers and blue and white energy sparkled around it like a swirling galaxy. And then she began singing. Bog inwardly groaned. He was glad she was doing this, because he was not in the mood to sing.

  
The spider suddenly sprang into life spinning a glimmering web with rapid speed. It only took a few minutes and the web was done. Bog stared at in amazement. “How does it work?”

  
“Oh. It’s easy!” Sugar Plum took the spider off the web and put it on her little coffee table. She gave it a little kiss before she set it down. “You are going to have to get close to the Gaunt and hit him with it. It will suck any creature you want inside and make them a convenient travel size! They can only get out if you reach in and pull them out so it’ll be permanent for what you want!”

  
“Excellent.” Then Bog smiled, his eyes narrowing on Sugar Plum. She didn’t see it coming as he slapped the magical orb onto her immediately trapping her inside.

  
“Bog!” The now tiny Sugar Plum Fairy cried out in shock as she flew around the inside of the globe. “What are you doing?!”

  
“Let me tell ye something about what ye did to me, Sugar Plum.” Bog leaned in, glaring at the fairy. “That potion didn’t work! She took one look at me and ran screaming from my presence!”

  
“Didn’t work?! Oh, Bog!” Sugar Plum knew immediately why and she opened her mouth to explain, “It didn’t work because-” Bog shook the stick viciously slamming the tiny fairy around so much she got dizzy. He would not let her say those words he assumed she would. That he was so hideous even a potion would not work for him. “Bog.” She called out weakly. “Please, listen to me.”

  
“NO!” Bog roared shaking the globe again. “What ye did was wrong! Ye should never have created a love potion! Ye will never create another one!” With that, he turned and stormed out of her home, tearing the door from its hinges as he forced his way out. Every time Sugar Plum cried out he shook the stick to silence her until she settled down into the bottom and just accepted that she was not going to be heard.

Bog was satisfied with his work when he put the trapped fairy into a cell deep within the dungeon below the castle. She was the only one there and nobody would hear her once he closed the doors. He grumbled at the fairy staring at him still in shock. “Thank ye fer teaching me magic, Sugar Plum. I have that one good thing from ye.” He snarled and slammed the doors shut, locking them and leaving the fairy to her prison forever. And that. Was that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I loved the way this played out. I liked having Bog learn magic from Sugar Plum and give her a role outside of mad potion maker. I also like him having her make her own trap!
> 
> In my world interpretation, Goblin breeding season is May-June, but they of course begin things early in the spring. Baby goblins are born 6 months later in Dec/Jan while thy are hibernating.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Depressed Bog brings it all on himself.

Word of the kidnapping of the Sugar Plum fairy spread through the fairy kingdom. Someone had seen the Bog King leaving her home and the destruction he had left. They could not understand why he would take their beloved Sugar Plum. The Fairy King attempted to leave messages and received one back from Bog himself. It simply read: Sugar Plum is my prisoner due to creating chaos through her love potions.

  
That was it. It was a baffling message. The Fairy King tried several other times to secure her release but the Bog King never answered.

=-=-=-=-

For the following years, life was mostly peaceful between the two kingdoms. The Fairy King attempted to leave tributes. They were found destroyed outside the entrance to the dark forest. The message was clear. They needed to avoid each other. The reputation of the new Bog King grew as fairies were chased more viciously than normal out of the forest.

  
During the springtime, it was the worst. Goblins patrolled every inch of the forest. Several fairies had their wings shredded in a show to avoid the forest. The injured fairies had told stories of the Dark Forest’s king having personally torn their wings to pieces before tossing them out of his forest. None were killed despite the Bog King’s threats.

  
Goblins still raided the closer elven towns, but they returned to only taking a little here and there. They did not destroy the warehouses if it could be helped. They did not burn any homes and they did not hurt anyone. They came, took what they wanted and left. It was not how the Fairy King wanted it, but he allowed it to happen.

  
A heavy unnatural gloom settled over the dark forest brought on by Bog’s passive nature magic. Even during the day, darkness hung over the entire forest. Life began to die.

=-=-=-=-

Bog stewed in his castle, growing more bitter and cold with each passing spring. It would lessen at other times of the year, but it returned each spring with a vengeance and worsened. He could not bear the sight of goblins showing any affection at all at any point in the year and it was taking its toll. Children were no longer being born at the numbers they had been. There was a massive decline in the goblin population. Bog could not figure out what was happening. Year after year the numbers dropped.

  
He despised spring and love but he missed hearing children playing in the halls and getting to interact with them. They had been one of the good points of life, but now there were so few. He did not realize the role he had played in it. He could not connect love with children at all. He assumed that there would always be children because that’s what goblins did. They ate, they slept and they produced little goblins.

  
But there came a time when there were none. The halls had grown cold with the absence. There had never been as many goblins as fairies but now the numbers were falling distressingly low. Bog grew more and more depressed and his mother tried to sway him into finding someone so he wouldn’t be so sad and miserable. Bog rejected every attempt. None of them interested him and truthfully, he was guarding his heart against that pain he had felt so long ago.

  
Bog’s responsibilities dwindled as his depression deepened. He sat on his throne and did nothing. He did not spar because nobody was his equal and most goblins didn’t offer much in the way of a challenge. On occasion, there was something to deal with and then he would rise to the occasion. He was a powerful king and stronger than any other goblin. They followed where he lead and he took out invading creatures with great joy. He gained scars on his armored plates from those encounters.

  
On occasion, he went on patrol as routine, but there would be days between where he would not bother. Seeing the forest with so few goblins in it made him sad. On other days he would retreat to his cave of dewdrops and spend hours in silence creating more of them. It was a way to pass the time and creation gave him a little happiness. What he created was beautiful. Creating beautiful things made him feel good inside for a short time.

  
Every day.

  
He sat on his throne.

  
Every day.

  
He wondered if this was all life had to offer him.

  
And he sulked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cinematically, the setup of the movie is to quickly tell you the dark forest is dark and foreboding and has lightening shooting randomly through it. :D I decided the gloom was good enough as part of his passive nature magic being corrupted by Bog’s depression.


	23. Chapter 23 - The Courtship of Marianne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne's not that great with boys. More of they're not that great with her as she's nobody's first choice... until one of the most handsome shiny men decides she is just what he needs.

“How do I look?!” Marianne was fretting as she smoothed her lilac dress in front of the mirror. She flared her vibrant purple wings and fluttered them trying to rid herself of nervous energy.

  
“You look fine!” Dawn darted over to her sister and played with her hair. Today they celebrating Marianne’s birthday. She was turning 20 today. Dawn hugged her sister and kissed her on the cheek. She would be turning 17 in a few weeks herself and there would be another party.

  
“Do you think anyone will dance with me?” Marianne began fretting, biting her lower lip as she stood up and turned around in front of the mirror.

  
“I’m sure they will! You are so pretty!” Dawn complimented her sister. She was used to Marianne’s constant fretting over this or that. Her sister could be so insecure about people liking her. “I can’t wait to get there! So many cute boys!” Then Dawn giggled, clasped her hands together and did a happy dance.

“Yeah.” Marianne smiled at her sister. “Cute boys will be there.” The thought made her stomach turn. She wanted to dance, but it made her nervous at the same time.

The boys were always polite, but they would dance and then leave to dance with someone else they liked more. None of them made any effort to talk to her. They danced and they left. Over. And Over. And over again. The constant rejection had been a blow to Marianne’s self-esteem. She was beginning to tire of the parties and dances. They were no longer fun now that the element to dance with someone was necessary.

  
There were many she had liked, but none returned that interest. She had a few friends, but that was it. Boys. She was ready to give up on ever finding anyone who would love her.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne was mesmerized and flabbergasted. She had been standing and trying to converse with a small group of girls that she knew. She was doing a bad job at it and then doors had opened to the great hall they were using for her party. Everyone had turned to see who was arriving.

  
A tall well-built fairy stepped through the doors flanked by a trio of others. He was dressed in the guard’s brilliant green armor and it shone almost as brightly as he did. He was flawless with perfect features and a gleaming charming smile. His thick blond hair flowed neatly over his head and behind his ears. Marianne knew who he was. She had often seen him from afar. She also had a small crush on him, because he was so beautiful and so perfect. Roland Davins. The Commander’s son.

  
He ran a hand through his hair and twirled a strand of it in such a way that Marianne felt weak with how gorgeous he was. Then he began walking up to them. Marianne averted her eyes to watch the other girls who were standing near her. He was coming to ask one of them to dance and she was curious which one it was going to be.

  
“Aren’t you just the most beautiful creature.” That was odd. Who was Roland talking to? He hadn’t walked up to the other girls. Marianne turned her head to look to the other side and no one was there. Just a wall. She felt her face turn red with realization. Marianne turned her head and found herself looking into Roland’s beautiful light green eyes. She had never been close enough to him to see what color his eyes were. And she stared with her mouth slightly open unable to move.

  
“Would you like to dance?” He held his arm out in front of her waiting for her to accept.

One of the girls gave Marianne a little shove and whispered, “Marianne!”

  
“Oh, yes!” Marianne fell on Roland’s arm and fumbled with it.

  
He smiled at her and used his right hand to put Marianne’s hand in the correct place. Then he led her to the dance floor. She glanced back at the other girls who were waving at her and wishing her luck.

=-=-=-=-=-

Dawn stared as she saw Roland walk by with Marianne. He was so stunning! “Sunny… Sunny!” She knelt down to the elf who was standing at her side, her best friend. “Did you see that?! Roland’s the most perfect boy there ever was!”

  
“Yeah.” Sunny smiled dreamily, his eye locked on Dawn. “Perfect.”

  
“I’m going to go dance too!” Dawn whirled away her gold and peach wings flowing behind her as she ran. Sunny gave a wistful sigh as the pretty bouncy fairy crossed the dance floor and introduced herself to the first man she came to. She would be back. He was used to this after years of being friends with Dawn. If only he were a fairy too, then they could dance and have fun together. He could fly with her and hug her and kiss her. Sunny took a seat near the wall to watch and pretend he was the one Dawn was dancing with.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne danced like she had never danced before. The feeling of warmth and joy flooded her body as she looked into Roland’s eyes and saw them looking back at her. He didn’t trade her off for another partner, dancing with her well into the night until Marianne felt like her feet might fall off. He held her close during the slow songs and kept pace easily during the faster one. He never took his eyes off of her.

  
Time passed far too fast for Marianne. When the party was over Roland caressed her face and murmured words that Marianne had never heard directed at her. “You are such a beautiful unique woman.” He had run his hands through her hair then given her a polite kiss on the cheek. “We’ll talk t’morrow. Would you like me to walk you home?” His smooth accent sent shivers through Marianne and she nodded without saying a word. He only had eyes for her and she only had eyes for him.

  
The pair left the hall holding hands. King Dagda had watched the entire time and he smiled seeing his daughter happy. He may have been annoyed with Commander Davins, but his son was an exceptional young man who was rising through the ranks in the kingdom’s army. It warmed his heart to see the way Marianne was looking at him. He loved romance and was happy to see one of his daughters accepting someone. Marianne was already above the age that most fairies would have been married at. He worried about her future and now he relaxed. This could go somewhere.

-=-=-=-=-=-=

Roland walked Marianne home. It wasn’t far, but it was a romantic gesture. It would have been harder to hold hands while they were flying. Roland stopped at the main doors in the castle rock. He smiled, ran his hands through Marianne’s hair and gazed into her eyes. “You are so beautiful, Marianne.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “T’morrow.” Roland smiled again and released her hand. Marianne couldn’t help but giggle. She was flustered by the attention.

  
“Ok.” She nodded. She passed through the doors with her eyes on Roland. She could not believe it. This handsome fairy had chosen her over all the other fairies! Her heart was overflowing with emotions she had never felt before. This was what love had to be like. She danced through the halls and made her way to her room. Her feet hurt!

-=-=-=-=-=-

Roland turned away from the door with a satisfied smirk across his face. He ran a hand through his hair and lifted into the air. Step one in his plan to skip all the work required to become a commander worthy of following in his father’s footsteps had been a success. He would become king and then he would have an army and with that army, he would wipe out the goblins in the Dark Forest.

  
Marianne was a means to an end. She was a naive woman who had been ignored throughout her life. Roland had figured out over the previous months how easy this would be. He flew back to the hall where the party was being held, dropped to the ground and immediately walked into the embrace of another woman. It was a fairy he had been dating for a few weeks. She was gorgeous and far curvier than Marianne. Roland pushed her into the darkness where he could let his hands and lips doing the talking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have now written three variations of Roland. This one is somehow NOT the worst of the three. It's sad to see just how easily he weaseled his way into an open spot in Marianne's life. 
> 
> Two chapters this Monday, which I *gasp* actually edited even though I'm not supposed to. Bog chapter was short. Next chapter begins rolling the real ball and I am eager to get to the chapter after that because it sets off a lot of ridiculously fun mischief on Bog's part. There's this weird fairy that keeps practicing swordplay on a rock....


	24. Chapter 24 - Wedding Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne is so happy to get married! Nothing could possibly go wrong on such a wonderful day!!

The romance was a whirlwind, and Marianne was caught up in it. Roland charmed her, gave her attention, and was perfect. Marianne loved Roland, and she thought he loved her. He was careful to be discreet with his many indiscretions. Roland had to be cautious with Marianne. He pretended to be a perfect gentleman. He respected her space and never pushed her beyond hugging and kissing. She wasn’t actually that bad. But it was more fun to flit around with another different fairy girl every month behind her back. He was young and had needs. Those needs would not be fulfilled by Marianne.

  
He proposed in the fall and Marianne said yes. For Marianne’s part, she ignored all the tiny signs that something wasn’t right. She was so deeply in love with her handsome boyfriend. It was easy to disregard a lingering glance on a passing fairy girl. She imagined things. Marianne was not the jealous type. She loved Roland as he presented himself.

  
Roland spoke all the right words and showered her with gifts. He never let up being sweet and affectionate. He was everything she ever wanted.

  
The wedding was to be held early in the next spring, and Marianne giddily looked forward to it. She had found love and soon she would be married to the man of her dreams. It was all too good to be true.

-=-=-=-

And it was.

-=-=-=-

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and clear. The world was full of light, and everything glowed with love and happiness. Marianne was in euphoria over the impending nuptials. It would be happening that afternoon, and the kingdom was gathering to observe. Marianne’s heart sang as she rushed and fretted over her wedding gown. Her crown of white flowers kept sliding over the side of her head. She was ready and had hours to go. Then she remembered. She wanted to give Roland a gift for the wedding. She paced around the room, trying to think of what she should get.

  
Marianne tapped her forehead, anxiously. She spotted the corsage that was sitting on her dressing table. Marianne could give Roland a boutonniere! It wouldn’t take her long to gather the flowers, and she knew exactly what flowers she wanted to use. Marianne flitted off her balcony in a rush to get her gift together. Dawn caught sight of her wings as she was leaving and wondered if she should follow her.

  
The gardens around the castle rock were full of flowers. Marianne dropped down into the closest one. She hummed to herself as she began putting together her gift for Roland. Marianne plucked petals and arranged them randomly. She wasn’t sure what she was doing, and she kept changing her mind. She wandered through the garden, her thoughts only on Roland and how much she loved him.

  
She rounded a corner and gave a little squeak, diving back behind a hedge. Roland was in the garden with his squirrel going through preparations for the wedding. They were supposed to leave on that squirrel to go on their Honeymoon. He turned and walked toward a more secluded area of the garden. Marianne peeked around the hedge. She was going to call out to him when a girl came flying through the garden. The girl caught him around the neck, greeting him enthusiastically… with her lips.

  
Marianne watched, unsure of what she was she was seeing. “Roland!” The fairy girl cried out, her arms wrapping over Roland’s shoulders. And then his arms closed around her, and he whirled her a couple of times with a laugh. He set her down, and the two plunged into a passionate kiss, one that she was sure she had never received from him. Not like that. She froze, her eyes fixed on the scene. She could not look away. All the happiness and joy she had been feeling crashed around her. Marianne couldn’t breathe. She stared as they began doing quite a bit more than kissing.

  
Gasping for breath as her heart broke, Marianne stumbled backward. She turned, saw the boutonniere, the gift she had wanted to give him so badly, and she crumpled it up. It was all that Marianne could do. She couldn’t confront him. What had she expected? Had she believed that a man like that could actually love her? Her eyes burned, and the tears began to fall. She fled, taking wing with her sobs trailing behind her.  
Roland glanced up in mid-kiss at the sight of purple wings fluttering up the side of the castle rock. He sighed in realization. He had been caught! “I am so not gettin’ my army.” He stated mournfully. He was much sadder about getting caught than he was for what he had done. He turned back to the fairy girl in his arms, gave a little shrug and grabbed her up in his arms, kissing her as passionately as he had before.

-=-=-=-

There was no wedding.

-=-=-=-

Marianne sealed herself away in her room and cried without explanation to her father and sister. She couldn’t do anything but cry until she didn’t seem to have any more tears. Then Marianne was tired and depressed. She slept another day away.

  
Then.

  
She was done.

  
She had very few thoughts other than how much she was hurting and how awful Roland was. Cheating on her. On their wedding day. Hours before they were going to get married. The one man who had professed to love her had completely betrayed all her love and devotion. She would never have cheated on him. She had been grateful to have someone to love and valued their relationship so much. She would have been a loyal wife to him for life, and he couldn’t even be faithful to her before they were married.

  
When she snapped out of it, it was slow at first. Words crept into her heart that she never wanted to hurt this bad again. She should never allow herself to fall for another man’s charms and looks. Not that she felt that she was in danger of that. Male fairies found something about her off in the first place.

  
No. Marianne was going to embrace who she felt she was inside. Marianne was going to prove to them all that she was a strong, capable woman who could take care of herself and her kingdom WITHOUT a husband. Marianne didn’t need them, not when opening up to them made her so vulnerable and weak. She would be a strong queen without a king.

  
Marianne rose from her bed and began going through her wardrobe. She tossed out all the whites, golds, and cheery colors. She wanted something dark. Something that made her stand out from her fellow fairies. She settled on the dullest thing she had. A dark rose pink petal top with green and brown straps and fringes, skin-tight black leggings, and black boots. She would add to it later, for now, this was good. She turned in front of the mirror and appreciated that this was the look she wanted. It made her feel strong.

  
Then she went to her makeup, going through the colors and tossing the bright, colored powders and lipsticks into a nearby trash basket. She was going to make a statement when she left her room and began her new life. For Marianne, this was rebirth into a new creature. She had done what others wanted her to do for her entire life. They restrained her into a mold, and she could not stand it anymore. She was no longer a child. She was an adult, and she could make decisions for herself.

  
Marianne put the darkest violet eye shadow she could find over her eyes and then did her lips in a matching shade. This was who she was. Someone not afraid. Someone who didn’t doubt all the time or fidget and worry what others thought. She was going to be herself. The first thing she was going to do was learn how to use a sword so she could fight her own battles. Marianne would prove to herself and others that she was not some frail female.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, since my computer is acting up and I can't do art I will post writing. Taking a a little break to concentrate on The House on the Corner That thing is at the point that it's going to be updating on 14 different days. 
> 
>  
> 
> Notes: I transcribed this whole pivotal scene in over two hours verbatim to the movie. I was going to go through and rewrite it using the same dialog. Then I realized how confining that was. Also, I didn’t like that it changed how I write things and did not flow correctly with what I had written with the idea of SUPPORTING the movie itself as it was so here… this diverges. What I wrote previously can be seen as completely supporting what already exists.
> 
> And from here on it will also stand alone as a modified retelling with parts that could also be interspersed within the movie. I also didn’t like the idea of feeling like I was outright plagiarizing. :D I can write my own version just FINE.
> 
> I have also forbidden myself from watching the movie until these parts are COMPLETED. Today is September 7th, 2019. Let’s see how I do.
> 
> Lasted a week. :D Unfortunately, now I no longer have Starz and still haven’t procured a copy for myself.


	25. Chapter 25 - The Stalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very bored Bog goes on one of his random patrols and decides to see what the fairy army is doing. He finds something far more interesting to watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Before reading this, the prior chapter is also new and it's very short. You might want to read that one first!

Bog was bored as he flew through the forest on his routine rounds. He deviated from his set path to see if he could see the fairy army practicing their drills in their usual field. They were. He settled up high in a tree to observe their formations and training. Sometimes they did something new, and that was always interesting to Bog.

  
He had been watching the fairies train for almost an hour when his eyes caught a flash of color in the neighboring field. He turned his attention from the practicing army to a large white rock that rose over the grass and flowers. A single form was awkwardly dancing around swinging a sword. There was not any sign of control or skill whatsoever. Brilliant purple wings fringed in black with golden pinpoints flared out behind the fairy. She twirled and hacked at overhanging flower buds. It was a girl? With a sword?

  
This was something Bog had never seen before. Female fairies were never part of the army. They were too delicate. She twirled and yelled, taking out her anger on a large daisy stalk. The sword severed it, and the head fell on top of her. She fell on the rock swearing loud enough that Bog could hear her words. He chuckled, amused by her strange antics. It was the first time he had felt that emotion in years, and he liked it. He wanted more.

  
Bog left his hiding spot to fly into a tree closer to the strange fairy. The limbs overhung the border so that Bog was technically in the fairylands. He was well hidden among the leaves and appeared to be another limb unless someone looked close. He laid his staff next to him, making sure that the sun would not catch the amber centerpiece. He watched, and he was captivated.

  
The fairy was clearly angry. She whirled and swung the sword that seemed too heavy for her thin arms. Still, she was strong enough to lift it and swipe at whatever leaf or stem was close enough to hit. She flared her wings and struggled to rise with the sword. Several times she fell. Once she tumbled entirely off the rock and vanished into the grass with a startled yelp.  
Bog laughed to himself and smiled as he watched her. She was a fiery delicate thing that burned so bright he felt something stir in his chest. He didn’t pay attention to it, his eyes fixed on the beautiful wild fairy. She was unlike any female fairy he had ever seen. Whatever had angered her must have been something. Her face was bright red from emotion, and she had begun breathing hard from the exertion.

  
He watched, his eyes half closing as he studied her form, appreciating the lovely delicate curves and the sun shining off her messy hair and sweat-slick skin. She was exquisite. Exceptional. Elegant. Enchanting. Exciting. His wings twitched a few times uncontrollably, and one hand rested on a nearby leaf, imagining touching that soft skin. When he realized he had been stroking a leaf, he stopped and tried to shake himself to his senses.

  
She was a fairy! One look at him and she would be running like any other fairy. He ached to try. It would end in worse pain he told himself. There was no way that the fairy would be interested in a hideous and evil thing like himself. For a moment, he regretted the things he had done but pushed it away. They were necessary for his people.

  
Bog sighed and forced himself to look away. He needed to leave and stop looking at her. He was torturing himself. Bog rose and took off into the trees without looking back. Well. That was over.

=-=-=-=-

Until the next day. Bog was drawn to the field again while doing his rounds. Once again the fairy was on the rock with her sword! Bog landed in the same tree and watched her. He had to.

  
He might never see her again.

=-=-=-=-

And that’s what Bog told himself every day when he flew by. She was there. She was always there on the rock practicing with her sword. On occasion, another fairy would be with her, a petite blond girl. Other times she would have a sparring partner. A slim male fairy that seemed more than happy to be teaching her how to use her sword. Bog had risen up when he first appeared as though he were a threat. A warm sense of jealousy had filled his body. He had puffed his chest and shoulder plates and rattled his wings. He did not want to see any fairy male touching her in any way. The male fairy only seemed interested in showing her how to use the sword. Then she would practice for hours alone.

  
Bog went to his usual place and watched her, enamored by her dedication. Her slim form was beginning to grow more muscular. Her movements were surer, and she had become proficient with her sword. She danced as she practiced, her wings lifting her off the rock. Bog began staying and watching for hours. He did his rounds earlier so he could observe her longer. The days were starting to shorten, and the fairy always left when it began to get dark.

  
Then came the day she brought a lantern. The sun began going down, and Bog realized she wasn’t going to leave tonight. He immediately left his hiding place and dropped into the tall grass. With darkness coming, he was going to risk getting closer. He wanted to see her up close without her seeing him, and this was his chance.

  
As he crept through the grass, a thought came to him. He could TAKE the fairy girl. He could fly up, disarm her and carry her away to somewhere private. His thoughts were not to harm her. Bog could corner her and talk to her, but he realized that was a stupid idea. She would be terrified of him. She would not listen to him no matter how non-threatening he attempted to make himself. Other options came to him as he got closer to the rock. He could talk to her from the grass. She would not be able to see him. He stopped short when he was almost to the edge of the rock. He could see her from the grass. Her form was lit up dramatically in the glow of the lantern light and the half-moon above.

  
She was even more beautiful up close than she had been from afar. Bog couldn’t speak. He stared, taking her all in. The fairy had the most beautiful brown eyes with golden fire illuminating them. She would never look at him. His heart sank, bringing with it the edge of forgotten pain. It sent shock waves of warning through his body, and he turned away with a quiet sigh. He couldn’t do it.

  
“Marianne!” The blond fairy girl appeared and landed on the rock. “Dad is looking for you!”

  
“That’s why I’m out here!” The purple winged fairy swung her sword in a practiced maneuver. “I am NOT going to any stupid dances!”

  
“He’s really upset.” Dawn clenched her fists and looked at Marianne earnestly.

  
Marianne! That was her name! Bog looked at her. The lovely face had a name!

  
“Dawn, go back to the dance and tell him I’m busy.”

  
“If you don’t come back, I think he’s going to come looking for you!”

  
“Just because he’s the king and my dad doesn’t mean he can tell me what to do!”

  
Bog froze. King? Marianne? Dawn? He knew their names. His scouts and the mushrooms had relayed messages about them. Frivolous things. The girl he had been watching for months was PRINCESS MARIANNE?! Bog’s wings twitched, and he stopped them before they could make too much noise. He began backing away from the rock. PRINCESSES!

  
That was the little girl all grown up who had actually touched one of his wings when he was much younger! The image of that day was blurry, but he remembered that little brat well. Only she wasn’t a wee annoying child now. She had grown into this beautiful warrior fairy girl he had been watching for months with less than pure thoughts at times. It sickened him, and he began retreating into the oncoming darkness.

=-=-=-=-

Bog was back the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how many ways can I describe Marianne from Bog’s point of view with a word that begins with E? I couldn’t help it. Once I started I had to add more for giggles.  
> Also, 29 year old Bog has needs. :D  
> Editing this one today and love how it turned out. Yeah, he’s being a bit immature about the jealousy thing when he hasn’t even SPOKEN to her, but that’s just how he is. I don’t believe he would be as threatened if he could actually work up the nerve to speak to her. I’m sure if he had, things would go in a completely different path from here on. However, he doesn’t… and it’s going to come around and bite him.  
> I may have to write a one page side venture off of this one where instead of leaving, he pops out of the grass after Dawn leaves. :D I think I will… uhh… much later.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne has realized someone is WATCHING her and she's going to do something about it!

Griselda suspected something was going on with Bog. His sporadic patrols suddenly returned to a daily routine. Not only daily, but they were also getting longer. He was always back when night would fall. And that was another thing.

  
Night and day were becoming more apparent in the dark forest. Sunlight had begun to stream on the castle once again. Plant life was beginning to flourish around it.

  
She would catch Bog sitting on his throne, idly running his fingers over his always present staff. He would lean on one arm with a wistful look in his eyes and a slight smile fixed on his face. He was somewhere else, and she suspected, with someone else. The other goblins were utterly perplexed by the change in their dark king. He was still prone to fits of rage but was distracted. He lost all interest in his regular spring decree.

  
Bog was neglecting his own orders, and the primroses stood. Not only that but he forgot his constant repetition of how evil and destructive love was. When he stopped saying it, goblins forgot that it was forbidden. They began going about their usual spring business. Discretely. They still feared their king.

=-=-=-=-==

“Marianne. Please listen to reason.” The Fairy King pleaded with his daughter as he followed her out of the castle. “You need to talk to Roland and sort this out. He still loves you.”

  
“No. He doesn’t.” Marianne all but growled. “He loves power, and he loves his hair. Not particularly in that order.”

  
“Marianne.” Her father laid a hand on her shoulder, and she stopped walking in response. She turned to look him in the eyes.

  
“Dad. Please let me forge my own path. I can do this. I do not need him or any other man.” Marianne loved her father, but his constant badgering was getting annoying. He did not understand at all. He was all about romance and, she shuddered, l-ove.

  
“Marianne.” He repeated her name, stepping in front of her and putting his hands on her shoulders. “You have proven your point. You are going to be a good strong ruler, but that’s not all there is to life. If you don’t have love in your life, your heart will turn cold with bitterness.”

  
Marianne forced a smile, which she did a lousy job at. “I’m happy. See. This is my happy face.”

  
“Marianne.” Her father groaned, pulling her close to give her a hug. “Please. Consider it if the opportunity ever arises. You have to be where those opportunities are.”

  
“Dad,” Marianne whispered, leaning into her father’s hug. “There’s no one out there for me. This is all there is. I’ve met every eligible fairy man in the kingdom, and none of them want anything to do with me.”

  
“Roland does.”

  
“Dad!” She leaned back and scowled. “He wants to use me to get to the crown! You should have heard his little slips! He wanted an army! I don’t even know why he wanted an army. I mean, his dad is the commander, and he’s probably going to-” Marianne stopped and smiled. Then she laughed as though she had thought of the funniest thing ever. “He’s never going to make commander because that’s my choice!” She patted her Dad’s shoulders, still grinning and then walked away.

=-=-=-=-==

Dawn laughed as she ran through the gardens outside the castle. Sunny wasn’t far behind, struggling to keep up. For the most part, Dawn was considerate and kept on her feet. Occasionally she would jump into the air and do a few happy loops and twirls. Sunny loved watching her acrobatics. He loved everything about her. Her always cheerful and perky personality. How much she enjoyed life. Her enthusiasm. Everything.

=-=-=-=-==

Marianne knew someone was watching her. She was always aware of her surroundings and had become more vigilant over time. Marianne had no idea who it was. She had heard the rustle of wings on occasion that was not fairy wings. She had caught glimpses of a silhouetted form that was far bigger than any fairy she had ever met.

  
It watched her every day, but she could never actually see it. She avoided letting it know that she was aware of its presence. Until today. She had decided she was going to confront whoever it was that had been spying on her. And she was going to do it with her sword drawn and demand they leave her alone.

  
There was one problem. Whoever it was would see Marianne coming. They would take wing, and then she would have to chase them. They would have a good head start too. Thankfully the tree that individual kept hiding in was close to the dark forest. They would have no choice but to fly out into the open.

  
Marianne spent a good hour doing her usual rounds of practice with her sword. She caught a glimpse of movement, so she knew they were there. She practiced a little longer waiting for the right moment to make her move.

  
Without warning, Marianne did a spin in the air that looked like part of one of her maneuvers. Then she flapped her wings hard to change course and flew up at the tree branch where her watcher hid every single day.

  
“Whoa!” A very male voice had yelped in surprise. The leaves on the branch exploded as something large leaped out of them. Whatever it was, vanished into the darkness of the forest. She saw a flash of iridescent wings like a dragonfly and a glimpse of the same silhouette she had seen before. Marianne glared into the woods, dropping onto the spot it had been hiding in. The bark on the limb bore several long fresh gouges, and so did a few of the leaves. Was it a goblin? A goblin with wings? Marianne peered into the darkness and was rewarded with nothing.

=-=-=-=-==

Bog laughed as he sped through the trees and looped over a limb to land on top of it and look back. His heart was racing from the sneak attack, and he was thoroughly entertained. Why that clever, clever girl! He was excited by what she had done. She had almost caught him! He didn’t realize she was coming at him until she had already gotten two beats in with her wings. Panic had set in, and he had gripped the branches and leaves around him in awe.

  
Then he had fled as fast as he could. There was no way he wanted to be seen by her. Watching her from afar was entertaining. Talking to her, at this point, would have been terrifying. That fierce look on her face and her flashing amber eyes had been beautiful. She was such a wild thing! Oh, how he adored her.

  
Bog’s entire body sighed as he hung his head. Realization set in. He had been caught, and he was going to have a harder time watching her. She would move where she was practicing. If she didn’t, she would be waiting for him, and he would have to watch her from further away, within the dark forest.

  
Bog gripped his staff in both hands and leaned against it. What would have happened if she had caught him? Would she have attacked him? Would she have asked him what he was doing there? Would she have taken one look at his face and fled in terror? Bog took a deep breath and stared out at the light of the fairy kingdom peeking through the edge of his forest.

  
He should stop doing this. She had brought up feelings in him that were good, but painful. He remembered having similar feelings before and how they led up to that fateful day. He was tormenting himself with desire. He couldn’t even talk to this fairy. It would be impossible. Yet if he never spoke to her, there would be no opportunity for her to wreak havoc on his heart. Yes, he had a deep longing for the fiery fairy princess, but it was not meant to be. But he could continue to enjoy the feelings that came with thinking about her and being impressed by her. Those were good feelings.

  
They couldn’t harm him.

  
And then another thought came to him that brought a smile to his face. This could be a new game. It was thrilling to think about. Bog decided he was going to toy with the wee fairy warrior and take his chances. He would be the stalker, and she would be the hunter. He would hide in different places and see if she could find him. How fast could he get away from her while remaining unseen? He couldn’t let her actually see him. That was the most crucial part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like Marianne taking the initiative! I also like that Bog's first response is GET OUT OF THERE! Poor Bog, if he just let her catch him....
> 
> One of my favorite things about the movie is Bog's rigging so that his every emotion is not contained to his face. His entire body conveys his emotions. 
> 
> No updates for a bit while I work on my October story.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter arrives and with it, the fairies seal themselves into their protective rock. Marianne finds herself trapped with Roland not taking the hint to leave her alone.

The game commenced.

  
Bog delighted in sneaking through the grass in the fairylands during the day. The fields were turning golden from the summer heat. The blades were large enough to offer perfect concealment. No one could see him from the air, but he could get close enough to watch Marianne. He moved frequently to remain unseen. He made escape routes that he could pass through faster than Marianne could fly. He planned his routes and various escape areas. Bog figured out the best places to hide were on the far side of the rock.

  
The dark king of the forest would arrive before Marianne when he wasn’t in the mood for a possible need to run. On those days, he had found a nearby tree that matched the color of his armored plating. He could lean against it and watch her entirely out of sight. She never looked in that direction. She kept her eyes on the field closest to the border trees.

  
Bog could get away with traveling over the field since hardly anyone came into it. It was too close to the border, and both fairies and elves avoided it. It was overgrown with wildflowers and grass. This was the very reason that Marianne had chosen it. Nobody would bother her.

  
Every couple of days, Bog would give himself away. He would rustle the grass or throw a rock. Then he got to watch Marianne in action. He was always gone before she could catch sight of him. He was good at this game.

  
Yet there were days where he considered letting her catch him, to see what she would do. The days grew colder, and Bog was dismayed when the first frost occurred. There would be no more games with the beautiful warrior princess. He flew out to the field to see if she would be there. She was not. She had done as all fairies do and sealed herself into the castle rock to wait out the winter.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Marianne groaned. Her father was pestering her again, and now they were trapped in the castle for the winter.

  
“Marianne, I want you to attend the dance tonight.” Her father was walking after her, a hand on her shoulder.

  
“I don’t want to dance, Dad,” Marianne grumbled, already feeling confined after a single day in the rock. Her fingers were twitchy with energy as they ran over the hilt of the sword on her hip.

  
“Marianne. Please do it for me. I need help with that flirtatious sister of yours. She’s older now, and I can’t keep her in sight all the time.” The Fairy King persisted, pleading with his daughter for help.

  
“Fiiiiine.” Marianne sighed, turning to her father. “But I’m not dancing.”

  
“Could you do something about this.” Her father gestured to the clothes she was wearing.

  
Marianne was going to protest, but then she got a better idea. “I’ll find something else to wear.” She smiled sweetly at her father. He was going to regret that request.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

That evening a lively party was taking place within the castle rock. There were often dances and social events to pass the winter days when fairies could not be outside.

  
The party screeched to a dead halt when Marianne made her entrance. Every male fairy’s jaw dropped, and every female fairy stepped closer to their partner. Marianne didn’t realize the error she had made and never would. What she had chosen to wear had been because it made her feel strong.

  
Marianne had forgone the colorful outfits that were typical of fairies. She wore a stunning black corset that hugged her body in just the right way, outlining her delicate curves. Her dress was a flowing floor-length gown with a slit that went up to mid-thigh in the front. It was black with a purple sheen. Her strong arms were sleeved in delicate spider silk woven into lace. A spider silk cape floated behind her as she walked, and she glimmered and glowed like no other fairy woman. She thought she was only wearing black. In reality, she was a rainbow of colors as the spider silk caught the ballroom lights.

  
One particular fairy swallowed hard, his eyes fixated on Marianne. This was not the same woman he had courted and cheated on. She was a thing of beauty and grace, and he wanted her. Every part of him wanted her and could already envision what that would be like. She had gone from being awkward and tolerable to a rare creature to be hunted and overpowered.

  
Roland’s burning desires urged him forward, and he made his way to Marianne without a second thought. He had done this once, and he would do it again.  
“Marianne! It is so good to see you!” Marianne turned to glare at Roland. “You look just stunnin’ tonight.”

  
“Go away, Roland.” Marianne glared at him, then turned her back to talk to someone else.

  
Roland reached out and grabbed her shoulder. He sidled up to her and slipped his other arm around her waist. She froze, unsure of what to do. “Don’t be that way, Darlin’. I am so sorry for what happened. Please. Please. Forgive me. I’ve been heartbroken since you left me. Please. Give me another chance.”

  
Marianne took a breath.

  
“I’ve learned my lesson. I only have eyes for you.” He squeezed gently, and then his hands traveled down the sides of her corset and onto her hips. She could feel his fingers pressing in and moving further down. “Let me show you how sorry I am.” The man was literally purring with sultriness as he pressed his body against her back.

  
Marianne jerked out of his embrace and whirled around, flaring her wings out behind her. She pulled back her right hand and punched Roland in the face so hard that he staggered back. A few more steps were taken, and Roland crashed into a nearby table. The table full of drinks and glasses collapsed beneath him.

  
All eyes were on her as she slowly advanced on Roland, who was trying to scramble to his feet. His nose was a bloody mess. She looked like a predator closing in on her prey with her wings held up behind her like they were.

  
“Roland! You cheated on me! Before our wedding!” She was screaming in rage at this point, her face red and eyes watering from how angry and insulted she was.

  
“You left me at the altar! Remember?!” Roland scrambled for words once he was on his feet. He backed away, glancing from side to side for escape. This was a very embarrassing situation for him.

  
“You can’t turn this around so I’m the bad guy!” Marianne flew at him, and Roland barely managed to fly out of the way before she reached him.

  
“Honey, sweet Honeysuckle,” pleaded Roland floating back down to land in front of the doors. He fell to his knees in one last show of fake humility and begging. “Please, listen to reason. I love you! I really do! I will never do it again!”

  
“Once was enough!” Marianne flew at him again, and Roland fled the room with an undignified yelp. The doors slammed behind him, and Marianne stopped short of following him. He was out of her sight, and she had won.

  
The ballroom was completely silent as everyone had been focused on the spectacle. Marianne turned with an awkward smile and laughed. “Now that was fun.” Then she walked across the ballroom with her head held high, a confident smile on her face.

  
“Awkward.” Dawn winced, glancing around at the still stunned faces staring at Marianne. Their father sighed and ran a hand over his face.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The late fall and winter months were constant misery for Marianne. Roland would not quit his pursuit. He was everywhere, looking dashing and perfect. Roland sent love letters, wrote poems, sent beautiful gifts, and anything he could think of to try to wear her down. He was utterly unsuccessful as she threw away everything and refused to even look at them.

  
King Dagda hated seeing what was going on. All he could see was how much Roland loved Marianne. All the romantic gestures had him continually laying pressure on her to give Roland a chance.

  
Marianne was beginning to go a little stir crazy. There were training rooms where she could continue practicing and work out energy. But it wasn’t the same as being outside in the fresh air with the sunshine beating down on her. Then, there was that thing in the forest that kept taunting her.

  
That was a mystery that made her more excited to get back out onto her rock than training did. Whatever it was, it was fast, clever and she got the distinct impression it was playing with her. It? Oh no, it was a HE. She reminded herself in deep thought. HE was toying with her and for some reason, didn’t feel the need to show himself.

  
Now, why did the strange fairy not show himself? That was a puzzle that Marianne had worked around many times. She knew every fairy and elf in the kingdom. It was something Marianne worked hard at doing. She wanted to be a good Queen, and that required she be personable and know everyone by name.

  
Whoever this fairy was, he was very different from all the others and would stand out. Marianne was a little sad he wouldn’t show himself. The constant game of being on alert for where he might be and then charging after him was fun. For a brief moment, a thought came to mind that brought a sly smile with it. If he enjoyed playing with her like that, then he liked her. There might be more enjoyable games to play if that were the case. She immediately shook that thought out of her mind. NO. NO! That would never happen!

  
Marianne shifted her thoughts elsewhere and looked out the window. Water streamed down the pane. The snow and ice on the rock had begun melting. Her father would declare it safe to leave the rock when the plants started growing thick around the castle rock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't help but feel this kind of interaction, the whole taunting and teasing thing, is going to continue... :D


	28. chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bog's miserable with the fairies in their rock, but spring has finally come. With it, Marianne is finally free of the rock and has a game of her own in mind.

 

That winter was the longest most awful Bog had ever experienced. It seemed to go on forever, and he was miserable. He paced around the throne room and flew in circles with anxious energy. Bog made everyone around him crazy with random outbursts at nothing. Then he would sit on his throne and mope, his eyes half open and looking  blankly at nothing. His face was the picture of misery, and he held that position for hours straight.

Bog’s thoughts were on one thing and one thing only. Warm fields lit up with sunshine. A beautiful lone fairy princess practicing her swordplay for hours on end. He had seen her enough he could play through the memories as often as he liked, but the memories were not enough. He wanted to see her.

Griselda was not sure what to do about Bog. She had already put it together that there was a girl somewhere that Bog had been seeing. By seeing it appeared watching and not talking to. She had pried on several occasions and  been rebuffed for even asking. Bog denied there was a female he was talking to or interested in. Griselda might not have been able to master writing, but she wasn’t stupid. The timing of the first frost and Bog’s behavior during the winter was enough to tell her that this female was a fairy. That was baffling. She knew how much Bog detested fairies like his father had.

When the snow melted, Bog began his patrols again with a frenetic eagerness. He wasn’t sure when the fairies came out of their rock, but he would be there when the object of his desires appeared. Days turned into weeks, and still, the snow and cold lingered. The fields were slow to grow green, except the areas at the edge of the dark forest. Those fields had burst forth in vibrant bloom. The entire dark forest had exploded into a lush green paradise. The gloom had lifted, and life thrived.

Then came the day when Bog saw the elves out in the field sowing crops. He patrolled the area on the same day, but no fairies. The next day was the same. He kept revisiting the same area watching  eagerly for a flash of purple wings. On the third day, he  was rewarded . She was on the rock with her sword in the early morning sun. She was sitting in the center of it with her wings flared out, enjoying the sunshine.

Bog hid in his usual spot up high in the tree with the overhanging branches. The leaves were hardly enough to hide him. He crouched and watched her feeling his entire body loosen up, and the anxiety flowed out of him. He  was relaxed now that he could see her, and he smiled, watching her serene face.

“I know you are out there somewhere,” Marianne called out after a few minutes. Bog slunk back on the branch, wings twitching in preparation for flight. “Why are you watching me? Why don’t you show yourself?” She continued while staring at the rock.

Bog’s mouth went dry as he realized that he could answer. Marianne was inviting him to talk to her. He stared for a moment. If he said anything, she would know where he was. She might see him. She might be afraid. The last thing he wanted was to scare her. He had nothing to say, and his nerve failed him. He scrambled down the branch and fled into the forest.

-=-=-=-=-=-

For several days Bog watched from high up in the trees in the dark forest, well out of any possibility of  being seen . It wasn’t the best view, but he could still see her practicing. He had to wait for the grass to get high enough to move on to his preferred hiding spot. The spot that Marianne never looked at.

Bog couldn’t wait long enough. Early one morning, he set out before dawn into the field. He skimmed over the grass on the way to the tree that would conceal him. He had almost reached the trunk of the tree when he heard rustling in the grass and the flap of large wings.

Marianne appeared a short distance away with her sword. She was skimming the grass and coming for him. “Stop!” She shouted as he faltered in his flight. Bog panicked and with a burst of speed, flew up into the closest tree. He squirmed his way into the  tightly wound upper branches. 

“It’s no use hiding! I know you’re in there!” Marianne  aggressively fluttered around the tree. She had her sword out and flashing as it caught the dim early morning light. She was trying to figure out a way she could get to where Bog was hiding.

“Leave me alone!” Bog found his voice and snarled. “Ye don’t want to mess with me!” His wings rattled against the limbs he was hiding among. The fit was tight, but he was slender enough he could move around. His broad shoulders were the only problem. Since they  were armored , he couldn’t feel the branches digging into them. Right now, he was searching for a way to escape without  being seen . That was impossible. The annoyed fairy was circling the bush and knew  precisely where he was.

“Why are you watching me?” Marianne demanded. She squinted into the dark confines of the bush and could see his eyes in the shadows. Despite his words and the sound of his voice, the eyes she was looking at were wide open. They were like the eyes of a trapped animal. They were so brilliant and afraid. Marianne immediately felt terrible for cornering him.

Bog didn’t answer. He  was embarrassed to tell the truth. “Why are you watching me?” Marianne repeated, her eyes locked on his.

“I will not watch ye anymore if that is what ye want. I apologize.” Bog’s voice came out soft and regretful. “Please turn around and let me leave. I will not return.” Marianne stared at him for a moment. All she could see about him was his eyes and a broken silhouette.

“I uh,” Marianne glanced away. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon. If she stalled him, she would at least get a good look at what it was that had been stalking her.

“Please.” Now he was pleading in a fearful tone. “I did not intend any harm. Yer … amazing.” He whispered. “Beautiful. Elegant. Fierce. Strong.” The words came and flowed in a whispered awe. His eyes were still locked on Marianne’s. They were full of fear and panic. “I need to leave.”

Marianne  was stunned by his words. Her face burned at the compliments. She beat her wings to rise higher and further away from the bush. He sounded sincere, but she had heard similar things from Roland. Thie creature couldn’t  be trusted . She wanted him gone.

“Go away.” Marianne turned her back to the bush and flew toward her training rock. “Stop watching me. I don’t need any admirers, and I am not interested in any kind of relationship with anyone.” She called back as she flew. “If I catch you again, I will make you reveal yourself!”

Bog took the opportunity to work his way out of the branches and flee across the field as fast as he could. The sun had not risen, and he  was covered in shadows. Marianne glanced up at the sound of his wings, hoping to catch sight of who it was. He was already gone, back into the dark forest.

Marianne sighed and tapped the tip of her sword on the rock. He had pretty eyes, but whoever he was, he was also  really weird. She smirked, different,  just like she was always told she was.

-=-=-=-=-

Bog’s anger grew as he flew into the forest and up high in the trees where he could watch undetected. Along the way, he released his fury on the branches and limbs that got in his way. He shredded limbs and leaves and snarled at himself. He had let his guard down; she had almost caught him. Again!

What an  amazingly clever fairy! Bog smiled, watching her from afar. He could still admire her from here, and that was enough for him. For now. At some point, he was going to have to break down and try to talk to her. He wasn’t ready for that.

He burned to talk to her and be in her presence. He had the strangest feeling that he would be happy to serve her  just to be around her. It didn’t matter that he was a king. He was a king of a dying kingdom, and he knew it. He was a failure as a ruler. Bog sighed and turned away from watching Marianne. He settled into a crook in the branches and rested his head in his hands.

The all too familiar feeling of depression wrapped around him. He went over his situation. His kingdom was a shadow of what it had been when his father had passed away. He had nothing to offer a fairy princess, even if he could speak to her. He didn’t even like princesses! What was he thinking?

As a king, he could open up a dialog with the Fairy King. But that would mean revealing far more about his kingdom’s deficiencies than he wanted to admit. The front he had held for years as a ferocious king of the goblins had burned too many bridges.

Sadly , Bog dropped off of the limb and flew home. He had other duties to attend to that didn’t involve a princess.  Maybe if he went through what he had done wrong, he would find ways to fix them. Bog wanted to work on the overwhelming problems his kingdom had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND SHE CAUGHT HIM!  
> Thankfully, Marianne is compassionate and let him go, but still. :D


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roland plots and Bog has an opportunity!

Roland stormed through the barracks on his way to a meeting with his most trusted allies. He had plotting to do. When he neared the meeting room, he heard them talking amongst themselves. “So much for King Roland.”

“Did you see that last kick? Wow. Marianne got him good.”

“If he ever has any kids after that one, I’ll  be amazed .”

Roland growled and stormed through the doors. “Do you  really think I can’t be King?” The trio of similar-looking brothers stared at Roland.

“Uh.”

“King Roland!” One of them lifted a fist in the air.

“King Roland!” The other two immediately followed. Roland glared at them  individually then closed the door behind him.

“So my current plan isn’t working. Marianne is so mad at me she won’t give me a chance.” Roland stated. “Any ideas worth pursuing?”

“You could kidnap her and force her to marry you.” The blue-eyed brother, Oran, suggested.

“Oh, King Dagda would love that.” The brown-eyed brother, Symon, sighed and shook his head.

“You’re going to need a love potion to break through that stubborn girl’s defenses!” The green-eyed brother, Coy, added with a laugh. He was only joking, but Roland smiled.

“You might be on to somethin’, Coy.” Roland chuckled, rubbing his chin in thought.

“You would need a primrose petal.” Symon stated. “The goblins haven’t been cutting them down like they used to, so that’s the easy part.”

“Yeah, the hard part is getting to the only person who can make it.” Oran added. “The Sugar Plum Fairy is somewhere in the Bog King’s castle.  Probably buried deep down in a dungeon or  possibly dead.”

“No.” Roland shook his head in thought. “She’s still alive. The Bog King is evil and cruel, but he’s not stupid.  If word ever got out, he had actually killed her, King Dagda would have no choice but to invade the dark forest in a show of force . My father has stated this many times. Killing a fairy under the protection of the King is the only thing that will trigger an invasion.”

“Ok, so you need a primrose petal.” Coy began.

“And someone small and sneaky to get past a horde of goblins and into a dungeon,” added Oran.

“Find the Sugar Plum Fairy and then get out without getting killed or captured.” Symon finished the plan.

“Yes.” Roland snapped his fingers  excitedly . Then he scowled, “Which means a fairy will not do for this mission. I’m going to have to think about this. Right now, it’s the only way I’m going to have princess Marianne accept me as her husband.”

-=-=-=-=- 

Sunny checked over the lyrics he had written down. He had taken a lot of risks to get close enough to listen to the radio at the farmhouse to the west of the fairy kingdom. He felt it was worth it to see Dawn’s face when she danced to the music. He didn’t understand all the words and wasn’t sure if his voice would do it justice, but he was going to do it anyway.

The band was setting up and going over the music sheets Sunny had given them. He  was gifted with being able to remember musical beats and repeat them after only listening to a song once. It came in handy when you went to off-limit places to listen to music for a few hours. Sunny’s replication was almost flawless. He had sheets specific to each of the instruments he had at hand.

Sunny walked up and down the stage.  He paused to listen to each instrument as the musicians went through the opening notes and played . He smiled and ran the lyrics through his head  just as he had heard them. 

“Hey, Sunny! How’s rehearsal!” Sunny jumped as Dawn came up behind him and leaned over his shoulder.

“Dawn!” He turned and grinned up at her. “It’s going great! I have a new song!”

“Can’t wait to hear it.”  Dawn giggled and then bounced off the stage, her beautiful peachy orange wings flowing behind her . Sunny sighed  wistfully . Dawn. She was so beautiful. So nice. So kind and thoughtful. He stared after her. 

-=-=-=-=- 

Roland rubbed his jaw  thoughtfully . He had been wandering around the stage area, looking at the various elves and studying them. When Dawn had bounced into the area, she had immediately caught his attention. Marianne’s sister could be part of a future plan, but for now, he was looking for an elf. Someone small, agile, sneaky, and easy to manipulate.

Sunny was an option. Roland had ignored the elf who tagged along with Dawn. But now he saw the look of adoration and love on his face for Dawn. He might do anything to get her to notice him, like sneak into a scary castle and retrieve a love potion. Roland made a mental note to keep Sunny in mind as an option. He wandered off, checking out some acrobats practicing nearby.

-=-=-=-=- 

Sunny had a lot to do that day. After the rehearsal, he had a music class to teach. It was a class of children, and he had a great time with them. But his mind was on the Spring Elf festival and getting to sing for Dawn. It was going to be a long two days.

When class was over, Sunny rushed out to meet Dawn in the wild field that Marianne spent her afternoons in. It was an excellent place to talk without anyone overhearing their silly plotting. Sunny had a list of fairy boy names in mind that he  was supposed to help Dawn dance with tomorrow evening. It was a long list, and Dawn had a few favorites she wanted to make sure she got to dance with first.

Helping Dawn with her quest to find the perfect boy made Sunny sad because his name was not on the list. Yet he was the one who spent the most time with Dawn. They had been friends for over a decade and gotten into more mischief than an elf, and a fairy should have. Sunny  happily took the blame for anything that went wrong. They got caught a lot.

Those were fond memories. Sneaking sweet cakes from the royal bakery. Pouring gelatin into Marianne’s bubble baths. Itching powder in uniforms of stuffy guards.  There was the blueberry cordial incident that had stained their skin dark blue for months . Then there was the time they painted the top of the castle rock with bright handprints in the shape of flowers. Sunny sighed  wistfully for those days when there weren’t boys on Dawn’s mind.

Sunny  nimbly clambered over rocks and across a stream. Fairies and elves weren’t meant for each other. Fairies were beautiful and elegant. They were  mostly kind, but their place in the world was to rule and protect elves. Elves were hard-working, naive, and not that great at keeping out of trouble. On their own, they didn’t get a lot done, but with fairies in charge, they thrived.

“Hey, Sunny, have you seen Dawn?” Marianne fluttered overhead. “I thought she said she was going to be in the field, and I wanted to keep an eye on her while I practice.”

“Nope!” Sunny waved  cheerfully . “But when I find her, I’ll keep an eye on her!”

“Let me know if you need any help!” Marianne laughed and soared off to her rock.

“Oh good grief!” Sunny heard Dawn groan from a nearby pile of rocks. “She’s so annoying!”

“Hey, Dawn!” Sunny bounced around the rocks to find Dawn sitting beneath an overhang. “What’s her problem?”

“She thinks she has to keep an eye on me at all times when I’m out here!” Dawn scowled. “Everyone treats me like a child!”

“Oh, she’s  just being a big sister, that’s all!” Sunny grinned and took Dawn’s hand to encourage her to leave her hiding spot.

“Marianne’s on her rock and isn’t going to be looking for you since I told her I would watch you.”

“So, you’re going to spy on me now?” Dawn giggled, flexing her wings once she was standing in the light.

“I am going to be the best spy ever!”

“I don’t think spies  are supposed to announce they’re spies.” Dawn bounced past Sunny and glanced around. “So what’s the plan for tomorrow, Sunny?”

-=-=-=-=-

The trees in the dark forest seemed to have finished growing all their leaves overnight. Bog chose a different tree to watch from. The branches reached out higher and further than his preferred spot. He couldn’t return to that one. He saw Marianne look there  regularly . Bog had to climb several limbs to get to his new place. Then he could recline and watch while looking like nothing but another stick.

Bog was deep in thought as he watched Marianne practice. He was working through what he could do to repair the damage he had done between their kingdoms. Like it or not, he had to do something for the good of his people. He would have to swallow his pride. He wasn’t sure why he was even considering it. Over the more recent months, the long winter and then the spring, something had lifted.

There was a hand full of baby goblins in the hall this year. Bog had  been dismayed when their parents rushed them away the moment he walked into a room. It had actually hurt him. Had he  really been that bad that they would worry that he would harm children? He frightened his own people, and he had not noticed how much. They would never have treated his father like that.

But he wasn’t his father. He had wanted to be like him, but his father had never done the things that Bog had. His father had never held a fairy down and ripped their wings to shreds. Bog  deeply regretted doing that. At the time, he was so angry and wanted them out of his forest. He placed his father’s death in their hands. Bog lifted his hands and stared at the rough curved nails. He had hated bullies when he was a child, and as an adult, he had become one. 

Bog hated who he had become more and more with each thought. This wasn’t who he had ever wanted to be. He had told himself he did it for his people, but in reality, he had done it for himself. He was selfish and undeserving of the adoration he had received. It might be too late to correct the course he was on. He had thought that the goblins respected his father’s strength and ability to command. That’s what he had sought to emulate, but he focused too much on ruling. He had forgotten compassion and kindness.

Bog folded his hands and let his gaze drift to the meadow far below. Thinking about his father made his eyes hurt. If only he had lived longer, all this might never have happened. Bog had let everything his father built slide by the wayside, and he was at a loss. He would  literally have to go crawling to the Fairy King for advice, and that was a repulsive thought. Going to fairies to help? Bog shook the thought from his head. No. He could do this on his own. He needed to take a good look at what was going on in his kingdom, then he needed to fix it.

Marianne was  suddenly in the air with her sword flashing. She was not practicing, but something else was going on. Bog sat upright and looked in the direction Marianne was looking in. She took off like a bolt of purple lightning, and Bog took to the air to follow in the tree line of the dark forest.

One of the patrolling lizards that the goblins often used on the border was wandering loose. It had entered the field. Bog couldn’t see what it was after, but he could hear shouts and screams coming from the direction of the lizard. For a moment, he considered intervening, but Marianne was already there. She was fluttering around the lizard’s head with her sword out.

Bog flew into an overhanging branch. He watched as a tiny elf  was smacked by the lizard’s tail and sent rolling into the dark side of the forest. Then the lizard screeched and took off into the woods at another point. She was flinging her head in pain, and Bog got a good look at a nasty sword slash that crossed her left eye.

The lizard was gone. Marianne and Dawn were looking around for the elf, who Bog could see on his side of the forest. He took too long thinking about what he could do. Bog could have flown down to where the elf was and had a brief encounter with Marianne. He could have returned him to her unharmed, but he hesitated. 

Bog could see Marianne’s stubborn expression as she flew into the dark forest, looking for the elf. She found him, grabbed him, and fled back into the light. It happened so fast. Bog swore at himself for not thinking faster. It had been a small opportunity, but it would have been an opportunity nonetheless. 

Then he noticed the primroses all over the place. Their blooms were thick, and the pink petals outnumbered the other colors. Bog narrowed his eyes and scowled. He had a job to get done immediately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I go and rewrite this, I'm going to use one of Bog's cats instead of a lizard. :D For this version, it'll be Lizzie, but I've decided to mostly go potionless. I actually intend to rewrite the parts that I've already posted to also be potionless, and change a few things. It always bothered me how Sugar Plum let the potion loose in the first place while warning against the imp, when dumb fairies were likely to do the SAME thing with it.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roland coerces Sunny into a mission! THAT MISSION, only it doesn't go quite as planned.  
> Griselda confronts her moody son and finds out exactly why he hates Love so much.  
> Bog makes plans.

“What were you thinking?!” Marianne scolded both Dawn and Sunny.

“I don’t know.” Dawn squeaked.

“Dawn, you have to be more aware of your surroundings!” Marianne turned from Dawn to Sunny as the trio walked away from the dark forest. “Sunny, you  were supposed  to be watching Dawn!”

“I was!” Sunny winced. “I  really  was!”

“You could have  been eaten !” Marianne was freaking out over what had happened. She kept flapping her wings and taking to the air as she yelled. She was also swinging her sword without thinking about it, and the tip had a smear of blood on it. “If the goblins had found you in the dark forest, they would have killed you, Sunny!”

Sunny paused to glance back at the trees towering behind them. He grimaced and ran to catch up to Dawn and Marianne. That forest was terrifying.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-

 

> I’ve been reading books of old

> The legends and the myths
> 
> Achilles and his gold
> 
> Hercules and his gifts
> 
> Spiderman’s control
> 
> And Batman with his fists

> And  clearly , I don’t see myself upon that list

 

Sunny sang as close as he could to what he had heard on the radio. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good. The musicians had learned the music  quickly . By tomorrow they would be ready to perform the new song. Dawn was sitting on one of the front benches watching them practice. Several other elves and fairies were watching.

Roland was sitting at a table near the stage, observing Sunny. He had been watching elves all day without any luck. Roland came back to Sunny because he had figured out that this little elf was different. The songs he was singing were not elf created. Nobody paid attention to the lyrics when they sang, but Roland did. He had been on patrols that went near the farmhouse, and his men would take breaks and listen to the music. This was one of the songs he had heard recently.

It didn’t take Roland long to figure out something important about Sunny and Dawn. He realized that Sunny was in love with the younger princess. It was a ridiculous situation in Roland’s eyes, but one he could use. There was more to this elf than other elves. Elves were not known for their bravery, and this one had gone out to the farmhouse. A cunning smile spread over Roland’s face as his plan took form.

When rehearsal was over, Sunny  was left  alone on the stage with thoughts. Dawn had left earlier, and the musicians were retiring for the night. He sat on the stage and sighed. Sunny couldn’t think of anything other than Dawn and did a lot for her. She never noticed the things that he did were  specifically  for her and not  just  to entertain the crowds.

“Good evening, Elf.” Roland sat down next to Sunny and mimicked his sulking posture.

“Uh. Roland?” Sunny gave Roland a suspicious look. He had seen several of the Marianne explosions on him and wasn’t sure he wanted to  be seen  talking to him.

“I was passing by when I noticed you, and I have a similar problem.” Roland took a deep breath that went into a low sobbing sound.

“I don’t think so.” Sunny looked away from the  heavily  armored fairy. There was no way the two of them had any problems in common. Roland was a high ranking fairy. He was good looking and could have anything in the world he wanted.

“But we do. We both love someone who doesn’t see us for who we are.” Roland sniffled. “Marianne won’t listen to me. I love her so much, but she ignores me.”

“Ignores you? You seem to have her full attention every time you try to apologize to her.”

“But she’s not actually listening to me. She doesn’t even see me. Kinda like Dawn does to you?”

“We’re  just  friends.” Sunny mumbled  sadly .

“Yes, but you know, there is a way to get Dawn to see you.”

“How?” Roland  suddenly  had Sunny’s full attention.

“No. It would be dangerous. I can’t do it myself because I’m too big!”

“I’m small, and nobody notices me. What do you have in mind?” Sunny asked  curiously . “What would help us?”

“A love potion.” Roland grinned, running the back of his hand over his eyes. “That’s the problem. Someone has to get a primrose petal and sneak into the goblin’s castle. Then get back without  being detected .”

Sunny’s jaw dropped at the thought of doing something like that. “I don’t even know how to get there.”

"Oh, that’s easy.” Roland produced a folded map and waved it in front of Sunny’s face. “I have the latest scouting report and the best route to get to the castle right here. It appears that there are not that many goblins on this path, and the castle itself is  mostly  vacant.”

“ Mostly  vacant?” Sunny held his hand out to take the map. “What does that mean?”

“It means that you won’t run into very many goblins if you follow the map. The dark forest doesn’t have as many goblins in it as it used to. They aren’t even cutting down the primroses anymore.”

“And why can’t you do this yourself?” Sunny wasn’t convinced he wanted to go into the dark forest at all.

“Remember, I’m too big!”  Roland rose to his feet and flipped a piece of his armor at the right angle to send a sharp beam of light into Sunny’s face from one of the nearby lamp posts . “And shiny!”

“Ok, ok!” Sunny threw his hands up to shield his eyes. “I’ll do it!”

“Great!” Roland shoved the map into Sunny’s hands. “Remember, you need a pink primrose petal. I’ll meet you here tomorrow night.”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Sunny wondered what he had agreed to as he ran to his house. His family would have gone to bed at sunset like most families, so he had to be quiet. Sunny managed to get up into his room without waking anyone. He had an exploration pack ready to go with lots of rope and other useful tools. A quick look at the map showed that he was doing to need more rope than he had. There was a massive old log that would drop him near the goblin castle. He felt confident that he could sneak around the dark forest without  being seen .

The hardest part of this mission would be finding Sugar Plum. From the reports, it appeared that there were only a few goblins present in the castle, and it was massive. There were several entrances marked as access points and a few marked to avoid. Sunny studied the map, then folded it and prepared for bed. He was going to set out early in the morning after a few hours of sleep.

-=-=-=-=-=-

“Cut down the primroses.” Bog had sent out the order earlier in the day, and goblins were  dutifully  doing what they  were told  . They swarmed the border, cutting down primroses. They used a few of their giant guard lizards to make the job faster. By nightfall, the primroses  were stripped  of their petals and buds.

The goblins were thorough, but they missed one. They only missed it because a tiny white-furred creature snagged one of the petals.  He had been creeping around the forest and fairy kingdom for years, causing mischief wherever he went .

The imp wasn’t a bad creature by any definition. He liked to have fun.  The sight of the primroses reminded him of a particular kind of fun he had enjoyed before Sugar Plum had  been locked  away  . Fairies would have love potions made and then discard them.  The imp would find them and then  randomly  dust creatures and fairies then watch the chaos that ensued . He loved Love! Even if it was fake love. That was actually the most entertaining kind in his mind.

The tiny creature grabbed one petal that was the same size as he was and carried it up high in the trees. He needed to plot how he was going to get someone to take the petal to Sugar Plum and make a potion.  Maybe  finding an elf or a fairy and dropping it in their laps would do the trick.

Sunny was only able to sleep for a few hours. He was so restless he finally gave up and snuck out of his home and headed to the dark forest. On his way there, Sunny sang the most encouraging songs he could. He had begun his journey on the lit streets of home, but soon he was on a path in the dark with only the moon above for light.

It didn’t take long for Sunny to reach the area of the dark forest that he needed to enter. It was far north of the main entrance and an area that goblins didn’t seem to like. It was full of open fields and ancient trees. The dark forest wound through the fields, but there should be plenty of places for Sunny to hide.

Sunny couldn’t tell the difference between the Fairylands and the Dark Forest when he passed the border . He knew to be careful, but it didn’t make him as nervous as he thought he would be. There were notes attached to the map, noting the best time to get near and into the Bog King’s castle was afternoon. Goblins slept during the hottest part of the day, and there was little to no activity.

There were no primroses to  be seen , much to Sunny’s disappointment. That wasn’t his biggest concern. He wanted to tackle the hardest part of his mission first. That was getting to the Sugar Plum fairy and releasing her. Wasting time looking for a petal could wait. That and he didn’t want to carry it around with him. It would be more weight he didn’t need on his shoulders.

It appeared that everyone slept, even the goblins, who  were supposed  to be on duty. Sunny would have to be quiet when he snuck into a crack in the ancient tree that served as the goblin’s home. There were many such crevices in the old wood. The castle wasn’t as secure as it had  been rumored  to be.

The little elf made his way  quickly  and was within sight of the castle before noon. He found a spot up high in a tree to take a short nap and wait for noon. Soon, he would have that love potion, and Dawn would finally see him.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Bog’s wings twitched as he settled onto his throne. He had spent part of the morning watching Marianne’s morning routine. Then he had taken a quick patrol to make sure his orders had  been carried  out  thoroughly  . There was not a primrose of any color to  be seen .

When Bog returned home, his mother had a lunch of foraged strawberries laid out for him. Bog enjoyed meat, but he had a fondness for berries of all kinds. Strawberries were his favorite, and he hadn’t had one in years. Then Griselda had begun asking him questions. The questions had changed over time, and Bog realized that she was figuring things out.

She asked what the girl looked like; did she have wings? What interested him about this fairy. Bog never confirmed she was a fairy or did anything but grunt at his mother’s pestering. He rolled his eyes and held the sweet strawberry in front of his face so he couldn’t see her.

“Do you love her?” Griselda smiled at her son,  hopefully  . Bog had set the berry down with a deep growling that rose from his chest. Did he love her? No! This wasn’t love. He liked watching her. He didn’t LOVE her. Bog thought about her  constantly , and she plagued his every dream and waking moment. He did not love her. He wanted to run his hands through her hair, see those beautiful eyes up close and kiss those soft lips.

“I do NOT love her.” Bog snarled, then he dug his hand into the strawberry’s flesh and gouged out a large chunk and shoved it into his mouth.

“Oh, but there IS a her?!” Griselda gasped, clutching her hands together. The dreamy look on her face annoyed Bog.

“Mother.” Bog grumbled. “There is no ‘her.’ She’s  just  another dumb flighty fairy.” Flighty? No, Marianne seemed a little jumpy, but she tended to jump toward things instead of away from them. Bog remembered the incident with the lizard. Then the image of her jumping at him with the sword drawn entered his mind. For a brief moment, he entertained the mental image of actually fighting with her.

Bog’s mind took him elsewhere. He had been unaware that he had half-closed his eyes and was running his fingers over the table surface. The battle in his mind was flashes of him with his staff and her with her sword. He imagined pinning her against the wall. And finding out what those beautiful lips felt and tasted. Then he had the better thought. Marianne knocking him down and  eagerly  coming for him. Kissing him without reservation with that fiery look in her amber lit eyes.

“Bogdan?” Bog snapped back to reality with an annoyed groan. He twitched his wings and realized that his entire body felt warm.  His little mental fantasies were getting more and more intense with the arrival of spring .

“I am NOT in love.” Bog scowled, digging his nails into the tabletop. He dragged his hand across it as he got up, leaving deep gouges. “Love is destructive! I do not need love!”

“What happened to you to make you like this?” Griselda looked at her son,  sadly . She had never asked before.

“Do ye  really  want to know, Mother?” Bog had slammed both hands down onto the hard old table and shook it with the force of his anger. And then he had told her about Sugar Plum. He told her everything. She had said nothing in reply but looked angry.

He was not in lo-ove. Bog frowned, looking out over his empty throne room. A few guards were standing nearby, but they had already fallen asleep. Then he looked down at himself, running a hand over the leather armor that covered his chest. It had  been designed  to match the rest of his armored body. So no one could tell what was part of his body and what added extra protection.

Bog was considering the Fairy court. He was going to have to do things to fit in and not seem so wild and dangerous. That would begin with dressing more like a fairy and less like a usually naked goblin. It was a change he was more than willing to make. He wanted to be more approachable to one fairy and only one.

If Bog could talk to her, she might be able to see past his appearance. Or she might be  entirely  revolted by him no matter how he looked. Bog settled to one side of his throne, making himself comfortable. He looked up at the closed spiderweb glass skylight above. It was one of the most beautiful features in the castle and one his father had put in. During the day, it  was covered , but at night it allowed a spectacular view of the sky. The skylight was something that he felt a fairy would appreciate.

Then his thoughts wandered to the things that he could show her around his forest. The Dark Forest wasn’t as bright and flashy with color as the Fairylands, but it was beautiful in its own right. Bog’s eyes began to feel heavy as he sighed and began drifting off to sleep. He imagined what it might be like to have a warm fairy princess curled up in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm doubling up my chapters, since I feel they are too short and I really, really want to get to the parts where Bog has to deal with Dawn. :D Since I decided the potion wouldn't play as big of a role, things changed in an exciting way. :D Also, I just love Dawn and Bog conversations, since Dawn might be flighty, but she recovers fast and is brave in her own way. She has to be with Marianne as her sister. :D
> 
> Sadly, we know how Bog's plans are going to end up, because THAT doesn't change. He still has more really dumb decisions to make.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunny makes his way into the Bog King's castle and into the dungeon to release the Sugar Plum Fairy and get his wish!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated today, because I will forget on Friday. Have a good Thanksgiving!

Sunny found it easy to get past the sleeping goblin guards. He crept by them on his hands and knees, glancing up every now. He cringed at how close he had to pass by a massive tooth filled goblin. It  was curled  up, snoring in a patch of sunlight. Sunny was close enough he could smell the moist earthy smell that clung to him. He was going to have to move fast or find a hiding spot once he had freed Sugar Plum. She could most likely  fly  free, but Sunny would   be left  on the ground.

The further Sunny traveled, the more he worried his nerve would fail him. He used his rope to climb down the trunk of the old tree. He glanced down and regretted it. There was a massive chasm all the way around the base of the tree. The only ways in and out were on a few limbs that served as bridges to the surrounding land. He only saw two goblin guards.

Then he reached the crevice. Sunny took a deep breath and squeezed through the narrow opening. He fell through the other side with a yelp and landed on his shoulders. Sunny clapped his hands over his mouth and whimpered. He was inside. But now what? The map didn’t tell him exactly where the Sugar Plum Fairy would be. It showed the likely place where prisoners might  be kept .

Sunny looked up at where he had landed. His jaw dropped, and he made a low eeeee sound. He was inside a small cell with bars made from long nails. The elf bounced to his feet and ran to the door. He put all his weight against it and  was relieved  when it swung open.

A dungeon opened in front of Sunny. Judging by the mass of spider webs and dust, it appeared it hadn’t been in use in a long time. Metal cages hung from the ceiling, suspended on rusty chains. Sunny crept past empty cells, checking in each one. He expected to find a skeleton rotting away in any one of them.

Each cell was empty. Then Sunny reached a heavy wooden door with a sign that stated: Do Not Open - Bog on it. Sunny took a deep breath and pulled on one of the curved nail head handles. It was heavy and took a lot of effort. The elf had to move it inch by inch until he could look inside.

In the middle of a dark cell, there was a tree branch set into the floor with a glowing globe in the center. It appeared to  be made  from spider silk. Sunny could make out a tiny figure floating in the center of it. He worked on the door and soon had it open enough that he could slip inside.

Cautiously , Sunny approached the globe. He picked up a small stick off the floor and leaned as close as he dared toward the globe. “Hello?” Sunny tapped the stick. “Are you the Sugar Plum Fairy?” He whispered, peering into the globe. There was no response. He tapped the stick a little harder. “Hellooooo.”

Sunny glanced around. He didn’t have time for this. He dropped the little stick and grabbed the staff, shaking it. “Hey, wake up!”

“Whaaaat?!” The figure inside whirled around in shock. “Stop that!”

“Sorry!” Sunny winced. “Are you the Sugar Plum Fairy?”

“What? Who? Oh, that’s me. That’s right.” The little fairy looked confused and groggy. “You’re not a goblin!”

“Keep it quiet.” Sunny whispered. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

“Oh, you are?!” The imprisoned fairy whirled around in the globe. “Someone finally came for me?!”

“Yeah. I, uh, I want you to make me a love potion.” Sunny stated.

“What?!” Sugar Plum screeched. “I am NEVER making another love potion again! Too much trouble!!”

“Please,” Sunny pled. “There’s this beautiful fairy girl I love, and she doesn’t even see me. I want her to see me.”

“Ugh, that’s the same thing the Bog King said to get me to make him a love potion!” Sugar Plum flew in crazy circles inside the globe, hands digging into her long hair. “And look what it got me!”

“Well, he’s evil. I’m not.” Sunny smiled.

“He’s not evil. He’s  just  stupid!” Sugar Plum snarled inside the globe. “I made a mistake. Now, if you’re going to let me out, pick up the stick and smash the globe into the wall. If you’re not, then leave me alone. I’ll go back to sleep.”

Sunny sighed  heavily  , picking up the stick. “I came all this way. I’m going to get you out.” He turned and swung the stick as hard as he could into the wall. There was an explosion of light as the globe struck the wall and an earsplitting boom. The Sugar Plum Fairy landed on the ground,  momentarily  stunned.

“Oh, no.” Sunny squeaked. That had made far more noise than he intended. “We need to get out of here now!”

“Lead the way!” The Sugar Plum Fairy blinked, running her hand over her face. Then she was up, flying in a wild circle. “I’m FREE!!”

“Shh, shhh!!” Sunny waved his hands at her, trying to get her to quiet down. “We can’t  be heard !”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Bog  was startled  awake by a boom that shook his throne room. Bits of bark and dust rained down on him. “What?” He sat upright and looked around  wildly . His wings were twitching. “Are we under attack?!” Bog lifted off his throne, staff in hand. Then he heard it. Singing. Someone was singing in his castle.

“Noooo.” Bog’s jaw dropped open, and he flew out of the throne room, heading for the dungeon. “It couldn’t be! There’s no way!” He snarled to himself. Bog touched down a few feet from the heavy wooden doors leading to where he had left the Sugar Plum Fairy. He stared at the narrow opening between the doors. Then Bog charged forward, swinging them open in a fury. The doors slammed into the wall with a deafening thud. Bog  was met  with the sight of a broken branch on the ground and nothing else.

Bog stared at the branch in disbelief. “Sir! Sir!” Several goblins rushed up behind him. “We got a message from the mushrooms!”

“What?” Bog turned and snapped at them.

“The Sugar Plum Fairy has escaped!” One bounced around eager to deliver the news.

Bog gave the goblin a baleful look that made him immediately stop. “Sound the alarm! She must  be found  immediately!”

“Boss, Boss!” Stuff and Thang came running into the chamber. “We were waiting for you to wake up!” Stuff skidded to a stop at the base of the stairs. She pushed the smaller Thang out in front. “Message from the mushrooms!”

Bog scowled at them. “Yes?”

“There’s a shelf in the fur rusting!” Thang  nervously  wrung his hands.

Bog groaned, running a hand over his face. “Find the Sugar Plum Fairy! NOW!” He stormed forward, and the goblins scattered. All except Thang, who was standing in his way mulling over the message. Bog snarled, taking to the air and sweeping the head of his staff down to catch the small goblin and send him rolling. Thang yelped as he hit the wall, and it made Bog angrier that he had done it in the first place. THIS was why the goblins were afraid of him! Bog snarled and flew away as fast as he could to find out what the message  really  was.

Then the singing began again, from somewhere in the castle. Bog roared, and goblins began scattering. The alarm had gone out. The goblins were passing on the message as fast as they could and looking for the Sugar Plum Fairy. They were not looking fast enough. Bog decided securing Sugar Plum was far more critical than the other message. He followed the noise with a snarl, his anger  fully  stoked.

Bog flew through the castle and ended up back in his throne room. He saw his mother with an ax in her hands advancing on his throne, then saw what she was heading for. The Sugar Plum Fairy was reclining on his throne! Bog snarled and flew at her with his staff upraised. At the same time, his mother charged with a spine chilling battle cry.

The Sugar Plum Fairy laughed and flew out of range as the pair of them smashed into the throne. Chips and fragments of bone flew through the air. In a rage, Bog stepped on his throne and used it as leverage to propel himself faster after the glittering fairy. She was fast and dodged him as he swung the staff.

“You could never catch me without my own help!” Sugar Plum mocked Bog, and it only made him angrier. “You’re a clever boy, but not THAT clever!” She continued taunting him, leading him in a chase around the throne room.

“Get back here! I’m not going to hurt ye! I’m going to kill ye and put an end ta yer disruptive ways!” Bog swung his staff with intent. He was so furious, he couldn’t contain his anger. The staff struck the walls with thunderous impacts. Cracks began appearing, and he didn’t notice. Sugar Plum continued flying out of his reach.

Griselda’s ax smashed into the wall a few inches from Bog and stuck there. “MOM!” Bog hovered back, glancing from the ax to his mother on the floor. That had been an  amazingly  powerful throw. He scowled at her. She could have hit him!

“Guess what, Dear! Your little secret is going out there in the world right now!” Sugar Plum laughed, coming up right behind Bog’s head. He grabbed for her and missed. “I told the elf who freed me all about what you did!” She twirled around in front of Bog.

“No! You didn’t!” Bog recoiled in horror.

“I told him to tell everyone you’re a petulant little child who was so upset when things didn’t go his way, that you had to imprison me ! For what? Because you didn’t have the nerve, to of all things, talk to a girl!” Sugar Plum scolded Bog, and for a moment, he hung in the air, staring at her. His anger was gone, replaced by fear.

“Stop talking to my boy like that!” Griselda yelled from the floor. “You don’t understand what you’re saying! You don’t know what happened! You don’t know him! Leave him alone!”

Sugar Plum stuck her tongue out at both of them. “Whatever! He STILL overreacted, and everyone is going to KNOW now! The Mighty King of the Dark Forest is a CHILD!”

“Shut up!” Bog took another swing at her, missed, and ended up smashing himself against a wall. He ended up crashing to the ground in a miserable heap. Griselda ran up to him, grabbing him by the arm and wailing.

“Are you okay?! Bogdan, Dear?!” Griselda ran her hands over his chest and up to his face, looking him over.

“I’m fine.” Bog sighed, staring upward. The Sugar Plum fairy was gone. He sat up and twitched his wings, checking to see if they were still in working order. He sat for a moment, letting his mother look him over for any injuries he couldn’t see. Bog had a reputation to uphold. He could not  be seen  as weak.

Now he knew an elf had come into his castle and freed the Sugar Plum Fairy. He had to get her back inside a cell, and he didn’t have a magic prison to hold her. He was going to have to have a little discussion with the Fairy King. And it was going to be at the end of his staff. Bog pushed his mother aside and rose to his feet. He stamped his staff on the floor in thought, then snarled.

“This is an act of war. The Fairy Kingdom has declared war on us!” Bog strode forward, feeling his confidence return with each step. “It’s time to return the declaration!”

“Oh, Dear.” Griselda clasped her hands in worry. This was not going to end well.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Sunny was coiling up his rope when he heard the Bog King roaring. He saw the goblins running around the castle. He immediately began breathing hard in a panic. The Sugar Plum Fairy had told him to leave. She was going to distract the goblins while he got out of the area. They would meet up again in the little town that was on the northwest boundary of the dark forest. The town that she had lived in.

Sunny glanced at the castle for a moment, then turned and began running as fast as his short legs could take him. He didn’t have to worry as much about being quiet. There shouldn’t be a lot of goblins where he was going. There hadn’t been any when he had come through the first time.

It took Sunny far less time to run back across the dark forest than it had to walk there.  Mostly  because he  was driven by  fear. He didn’t see a single goblin, but as he neared the border, he stumbled right into the path of a lizard. Sunny shrieked, tripping over a rose vine. The lizard made an odd sound and scrambled backward. The elf rolled over and got on his hands and knees. The lizard wasn’t attacking him. It was wriggling back and forth like it was stuck in the wild rose vines.

Then Sunny noticed it had a puffy slash mark over the right eye. This was the same lizard that had attacked him the previous day. It looked at him with her good eye and whined. There were leather straps around the lizard that Sunny hadn’t noticed the day before. It was stuck.

“Good, Lizard,” Sunny whispered. It blinked at him and whined again, trying to struggle away. Sunny got to his feet and looked at it. It was stuck. He could cut the leather straps and let her go, but then it might eat him. Or, it might do nothing. Sunny looked at her  thoughtfully  . This was one of the goblins lizards, which meant she   was trained . That also meant that she might not eat him if he got her free.

 The animals that the goblins domesticated    were reported  to be different from the ones the fairies had  . They had some sort of charm that   was placed  on them that made them more pliable. Sunny decided to give something a try.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He slipped his pack off and reached inside. He had a tiny bit of ointment for injuries that would ease the pain in the slash over the lizard’s eye. “If you’ll lower your head. I’ll help you.” He pulled out the container and took a step closer. He swallowed hard as the lizard lowered her head and laid it down on the ground. She had understood him! That was a significant first step.

She could still eat him.  Sunny could envision those massive jaws opening and swallowing him without the need to even chew . He glanced around, then stepped forward. The lizard rolled her head to one side, so the slashed eye was close enough for Sunny to reach if he stood on his toes. He opened the canister and looked away as he reached into it and smeared a handful of white goop on his hands. He pressed the hand to the slash, wiping the cream in with care.

The lizard made a low relieved sighing sound. The sound made Sunny relax. He continued covering the wound until the ointment is gone. Then he screwed the top back on and put it back in his bag. The lizard’s head was still down, and she was making a low crooning noise. Sunny unsheathed a short sharp knife and went to work on the leather straps. He was small enough he could climb on the wild rose vine without getting caught.

After a few minutes of work, the last strap came loose, and the lizard was free to move. Sunny climbed up onto her head and sat down. “Okay, Lizzie, you’re free.  Just  step forward.” The lizard lifted her head and slipped out of the vines. Once out, she gave a little hop and squeaked.

“Whoa there!” Sunny grabbed onto one of the short spines on her head. This was going to be tricky but amazing. “Hey, you want to come home with me?” Sunny  was excited  at the prospect. If he came home on a lizard, it would impress everyone. He had survived a trip to the goblin’s castle, AND he was coming back with a souvenir. This was so awesome!

“Okay, let’s go that way!” Sunny motioned to the west. The lizard immediately began moving. Even at a slow walk, the animal moved faster than he could. It picked up speed, and Sunny held on for dear life. This day  just  got better and better!

-=-=-=-=-=-

This day was  just  getting worse and worse. Bog snarled as he swept up to the mushrooms. He grabbed the closest one and demanded it repeat all the messages it had received that day. It appeared that the mushrooms had, on   numerous  occasions saw a small elf in the forest. It had been heading to the castle, and nobody had passed on the message. The elf could have   been intercepted  and stopped before he had let Sugar Plum free.

Bog snarled and sent the mushroom man rolling. Then he turned and swept his staff out, growling and throwing a fit. More mushrooms went flying all around him. Bog started in on a nearby tree, realizing he couldn’t keep hitting the mushrooms. They were his subjects, and he could control himself. He could be angry and hit something else. Bog tore into a nearby spider web, wrecking it in short order before diving into a mass of leaves and limbs.

By the time he had settled his anger down,  a number of  goblins  were gathered  around watching with wide eyes. They were ready to flee if he turned on them, but for now, they were  just  watching him. They were waiting for orders. Bog finally stopped up high on a tree limb. He was breathing so hard he couldn’t see straight. His rage had ebbed, and now he was back to where he needed to be.

“Get the bats and the owls and the cats! We are going into the Fairy Kingdom tonight!” Bog roared. “We have  been invaded ! We are going to get the King’s attention and demand he hand the Sugar Plum Fairy back over to us! One of his subjects freed her, it is THEIR job to catch her! And to make sure he understands the gravity of this situation, we are going to take a prisoner! I want ONE female fairy captured. When we have her as a prisoner, we will return home and use her to exchange for Sugar Plum!”

The assembled goblins cheered and immediately scattered to do as they  were commanded  . Bog settled down on the branch, holding his staff and glaring after them. He had forgotten all about making peace with the Fairies. Right now, he had to get Sugar Plum back inside his dungeon, where she couldn’t harm anyone with her love potion. He felt  entirely  responsible for anything she did. He had made it his mission to strip love and all its effects from the dark forest. He was protecting everything from its rotting and chaotic consequences. Now, she was free, and who knows what mischief she was plotting. She was   probably  going to make love potion and spread it all over the kingdom to get even with him.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Sugar Plum sang as she flew through the forest. She was free! And there was no way Sugar Plum was going to  be recaptured . She zipped through branches and flew for the sheer joy of it. Then the fairy saw the big lizard below with Sunny on his head. She had assumed she would beat the little elf to the meeting spot, but he was almost there.

With a laugh, Sugar Plum zipped down and called out, “Sunny! I see you made a friend!”

Sunny jumped, having not expected anyone coming up behind him, then he turned with a smile, “Yeah! I call her Lizzie! Isn’t she awesome!”

“You’re a very special elf.” Sugar Plum laughed, floating beside him.

“Stop, Lizzie.” Sunny commanded. The lizard immediately stopped moving and looked up at Sugar Plum with her good eye. “Okay, you got out, and I am going to tell everyone what you told me about the Bog King, sooooo.”

Sugar Plum sighed  heavily  , “I  really  don’t want to do this. Why can’t you  just  walk up to this Fairy and talk to her? Tell her you like her.”

“I can’t.” Sunny frowned, pulling out everything he had to look as sad as possible. “She’s very special. She’s so sweet and kind, but she’s a princess. She only sees other fairies. I mean, she sees me as a friend. She spends more time with me than anyone else, but she dances with fairies. Only them. She doesn’t even see me as a possibility.”

“Ugh.” Sugar Plum sighed and began looking around. “Let’s look for a primrose petal.”

There was a rustling sound in the trees above, then a little pink petal came floating down from the boughs. It floated down and landed right in Sunny’s hands. He stared at it for a moment, then at the Sugar Plum Fairy. Then both looked up to see a little white creature squeak at them and wave. Then it scampered off into the branches and vanished.

“Oh, no.” Sugar Plum groaned, running a hand over her face.

“I have a primrose petal!” Sunny stood up, waving it in the direction of Sugar Plum.

“Sunny, look. You can go up and talk to the girl. You don’t have to depend on a potion.” Sugar Plum tried to persuade him to go in a different direction. “I mean, I make these four fairies to pull pranks, not for serious love. Also, that thing that gave you that petal, that’s the imp. He loves to toss love potion around  randomly  on everything! He’s going to try to steal the potion if I make it.”

“What’s to stop the fairies from doing the same thing?” Sunny asked. “I promise I’ll only use it on Dawn?”

“You did set me free.” Sugar Plum sighed. “Okay, give me the petal, and I’ll make the potion.” Sunny held it up to her. In a few hours, Dawn would finally see him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter begins the whole Dawn+Bog+Marianne interactions! Good grief, it took 56,000 words to FINALLY get to write Bog and Marianne TOGETHER! And it's awesome. :D I've written the next five chapters and love them so much.  
> I'm pulling back on editing, because I am spending way too much time on it, and I only want to post the rough raw story, since I'm going to go back over it and add images and such. I also need to go back and add more scenes with Sunny and Dawn. Eventually, this will be split into three parts as part of a series.


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY! In a rage, Bog kidnaps Dawn and challenges Marianne to come and get her!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Err.. in my enthusiasm... I may not have edited this.

Goblins swarmed out into the night.  It had been a long time since they had moved in an organized formation, but they were all well trained to follow their orders  . Bog had them surround the first elf town and make sure nobody could leave. He didn’t want them tipping off the Fairy’s army. They swooped in on bats and owls, with Bog using one of their biggest owls to make an impressive entrance. Elves fled and hid, but there was not a fairy to  be found .

Bog yelled out his proclamation and why they were there, then they moved on to the next town. The goblins moved as a single unit, repeating their actions. Nothing  was taken  or destroyed. The people were  just  frightened and hid in their homes by the invading goblins. Bog had given orders to touch no one,  just  scare them and keep them from leaving. Their presence was enough to send the message home.

The second town was the same. There were no fairies and nothing to  be done  . The goblins  just  left everyone terrified and locked in their homes. The third town was a different story. Bog could see the lights and hear music. He set his sights on that town and sent his goblins in the same was as the first two. They were silent as they surrounded the town. The bats and owls flew circles low to the ground to keep from  being seen  until it was time to rush in.

-=-=-=-=-

“Daaad.” Marianne moaned as Roland approached her, her father, and Dawn. “Please, get rid of him!”

“Now you know I can’t do that.” The Fairy King sighed. “I have to treat everyone  equally .”

“Not him, he’s scum. He’s lower than scum. He’s the thing scum grows on!” Marianne fussed, whirling around and taking off into the darkness.

“Hi, Roland!” Dawn tried to walk past her father to greet him, only to have him grab her by the back of her dress and haul her back.

“Dawn. Please stay by me.” King Dagda grumbled, then turned to smile and greet Roland. “Roland. Good evening. I didn’t expect a lot of fairies to be attending quite yet. The festival hasn’t  really  begun.”

"Oh, I was  just  out on patrol.” Roland flashed a smile. “Thought I would check in and see how everyone was doing before I went out on a wider one.” He motioned to his squirrel, which was sitting nearby, ears up and alert.

“ I wonder  where Sunny is.” Dawn began fidgeting. “Come on, Dad, where do you think I’m going to go!”

“Out of my sight.” Her father rolled his eyes. “Here, why don’t you escort Dawn and keep an eye on her. Will that be a good compromise, Dear?”

“Yes!” Dawn nodded her head  excitedly . “Can we dance, Roland?!”

“Erm, uhh,” Roland hemmed.  He didn’t actually want to have the responsibility of watching the King’s flirtatious daughter  . She could be a handful and he found her personality to be very annoying. “Yes, sir. I would   be delighted .” He took her hand and bowed.

Dawn giggled, a pink blush rising up on her cheeks.  Roland escorted her out onto the wooden dance floor and began a dance, which Dawn  enthusiastically  jumped into . The younger sister was much more energetic than Marianne. If she had been the older one, Roland wouldn’t have had any problems getting her as a wife. But she wasn’t.

Roland led her closer to the edge of the dance floor, where it was darker. He was looking for her little elf friend, but he hadn’t arrived yet. It was  entirely  possible that he had   been captured by  the goblins. Roland might have to come up with a new plan if that were the case.

Dawn laughed, reminding Roland she was still there. He smiled at her, considering a few other options. He could always figure out a way to kill Marianne. Then he could move on to the younger sister. She wasn’t quite at a marrying age, but he might have an easier time convincing the King he would be a great husband for her. Afterall, if something tragic were to happen to Marianne, he only had one daughter left and he would need an heir. Her death might even make it happen faster, since it would bring up feelings of mortality to the old king. He wasn’t going to live forever.

Roland grinned as he schemed, and then the screams began rising around them. Roland glanced around, his senses warning him that he had better find some place to hide. He glanced up and saw the silhouettes of bats and owls swirling in on them.

Dawn continued dancing, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the music. She opened her eyes to see elves running from the stage, screaming. Roland was nowhere to  be seen  . Her father was looking her direction with panic written over his face. He was waving his hands at her, trying to get her to run.  Dawn glanced around, and backed up between two goblins coming at her with a large burlap sack between them .

“Oh, no! No!”  Marianne   was perched  up on a nearby roof and pressed herself down into the shadows as the bats and owls descended on the small town  .  She saw the goblins bag her sister and drag her toward the stage as a figure dropped from the back of an owl and landed with a thud and a rattling of wings nearby .

Marianne looked for her father and saw him between a pair of goblins. They were dragging him to the stage as well. The few guards there were, had  been overwhelmed by  goblins. There were goblins everywhere! There were even cats perched on some of the houses with the assorted bats and owls.

There were none near Marianne. She was close enough she could attack from the rooftops, she  just  needed to wait for the right moment. The tall goblin with the wings, that was the one she needed to go for. She could hear him speaking and the other goblins full attention was on him. He had to be the Bog King.

-=-=-=-=-

“Ye invaded my forest! Ye sent an elf in to free the Sugar Plum Fairy!” Bog leveled his staff at a confused looking Fairy King.

“Please, Bog, let my daughter go! We’ll figure out who it is and we will punish him ! We’ll find the Sugar Plum Fairy for you,  just  let her go!”  King Dagda plead, glancing from the two goblins pulling the sack that held his daughter to the talons of a waiting barn owl .

“Yer daughter?” Bog sneered, advancing on the king. “Then I guess it will be a fair exchange. One valuable fairy for another.” Bog  was startled , but didn’t show it. Which one did he have? He hadn’t seen who his goblins had bagged.

The Fairy King’s eyes  suddenly  widened and he was looking over Bog’s shoulder. Bog caught the look and heard the sound of fairy wings. He whirled around with a roar to meet whoever it was who was coming after him.  His staff struck out and he caught Marianne in the shoulder, sending her smashing down into the stage and rolling off the side  . Her sword flew into the air and Bog  reflexively  caught it. He snarled, staring at the sword, horrified by what he had  just  done.

“Marianne!” The Fairy King tried to pull himself free to go to her. Bog scowled, tossing the sword aside. Marianne had  shakily  gotten to her feet and was trying to get on the stage. A pair of goblins grabbed her and hauled her back between them as Bog stormed across the stage.

Bog flared his wings and pauldrons, looking as menacing as he could, then he leaned down and snarled at Marianne, “That was foolish, Tough Girl .”

“I’m going to kill you!” Marianne screamed jerking a fist free. She struck so fast that Bog couldn’t dodge it. Her fist hit him in the side of the face  incredibly   hard, but only Bog’s head turned. He looked back to her, snarling and baring his teeth at her, showing her she had done nothing.  Both her arms    were restrained  again between the two goblins, but they were struggling with her .

“You have three days to locate this elf and Sugar Plum!” Bog turned back to the king. “THREE DAYS!”

“Please, we need more time!” The Fairy King was in full panic. “We will bring them to you! Don’t harm my daughters!”

Bog glared at the Fairy King, then swung himself back around to Marianne. “One week! I can be reasonable. Until then, I will hold yer daughter captive.” He leaned down toward Marianne, smiling  suddenly , “Or ye can send this feisty one in to try and get her.”

Marianne lunged forward and jerked her fist free again. She screamed and took a wild swing at Bog. This one, he caught in his own hand. “Try it. I dare ye. I want to see what ye got, Princess. Come get yer sister!” Bog leaned in, unable to stop the flow of words. He was outright challenging her and he knew there was a possibility she would take him up on it. This hadn’t been in the plan. He wanted to see how brave Marianne actually was.

“I will kill you!” Marianne repeated  furiously, struggling against the goblins gripping her. “You hideous cockroach!”

Bog withdrew, letting her fist go and snarling at her words. What was he thinking? He was a fool. “You heard my terms. One week!” He gave the signal and the goblins began retreating. Bog flew up to land on the barn owl’s talons that was gripping his captive. “One week!” He repeated.

This wasn’t quite how he had wanted his first encounter with Marianne to be.  Bog scowled down at the fairies, watching as the king reached Marianne and lunged at her to keep her from following  .  He glanced down at the hand that had caught Marianne’s fist and noticed smears of blood shining against his pale palm . She had cut herself on his face. Bog took a deep breath. He might have completely messed up everything in the last few minutes.

-=-=-=-=-

King Dagda gripped his daughter’s wrist  tightly  , dragging her down with his weight. “Marianne! You can’t go after them! You would   be outnumbered  !”  He maintained his grip while his daughter growled and fought against him, flapping her wings and pulling .

“Dad! We can’t let them get away with this!” Marianne was so mad. She wanted to  fly  after the goblins and get her sister back immediately.

“I know which elf it was!” Roland  suddenly  came striding up to them. “It was Sunny! I overheard him talking about how he was going to get to the Sugar Plum fairy and have her create a love potion for him!”

“Sunny?” Marianne stared at Roland. There was no way that Sunny would do such a foolish thing. He couldn’t  possibly  be the responsible party.

“I’ll send out the orders immediately, Roland. We have to begin the search immediately!” The Fairy King scowled, dragging Marianne with him. Roland grinned and flew off to get started. “Marianne, you can not go after them! Please, promise me.”

“I am not promising anything!” Marianne hissed. “You can’t trust Roland! He’s an idiot!”

“Please, Marianne.” Her father looked at her  sadly , “Bog has one of my daughters, I couldn’t bear knowing he had you in his hands too.”

“Why don’t you tell me about the Bog King.” Marianne turned and placed a hand on her father’s shoulders. She wanted to know everything she could, before she set out after him.

“I’m afraid a miscommunication is responsible for all of this.”  King Dagda sighed and began telling Marianne everything, starting from the first time he met the Bog King, reminding Marianne that she had met him when she was a small child.

-=-=-=-=-

Sunny was checking on the glowing pink love potion when he noticed the goblins flying overhead to the town he was heading to  . He immediately shoved it back into its bag and had Lizzie lay down in the field they were crossing. He had watched the invasion as it happened, then saw the goblins retreating.  He waited in the field, clinging to the top of Lizzie’s head as goblins passed by their hiding spot, fleeing into the darkness .

When Sunny was sure the goblins were gone, he dismounted from Lizzie. He told her to wait for him, then ran to town to see what had  just  happened. Sunny was slammed  to the ground before he reached the edge of town. The imp chittered and jerked his bag open, pulling out the love potion with a gleeful sound.

“Hey! Give that back!” Sunny squealed as the creature bounded into the tall grass. Sunny only got a few steps, before he realized the creature had vanished. “I can’t believe this. I went through all that work… and it’s gone!” Sunny threw his hands in the air, then turned back to town. “I hope Dawn is okay.” That was more important than a love potion.

-=-=-=-=-

Bog scowled as he settled onto his throne. His mother was standing next to it, wringing her hands. Goblins had filled the room and were waiting to see what their king was going to do next. Bog didn’t want to do this, but he had to let the goblins see that they had succeeded in their mission.  Two large goblins dragged the sack containing their captive fairy before the throne room .

“Let her out,” Bog growled, stamping his staff on the floor and rising.

The sack  was tilted  forward and a very rumpled up Dawn   was spilled  out onto the floor. She yelped, ending up sitting on her wings on a cold floor.  Dawn looked around, her blue eyes wide and face full of fear as she realized she was sitting in the middle of a mass of goblins .

Bog walked toward the frightened fairy girl. Her eyes followed him  fearfully  . Bog circled her her with a growl, forcing the other goblins to widen the circle. Then she  suddenly  relaxed and smiled  cheerfully . Bog scowled at her. Then his mother came running up.

“We can’t put a fairy girl in the dungeon.” Griselda motioned to Dawn. “If you want her for an exchange, we can put her in the room off of mine. There aren’t any windows and we can bar the doors.”

Bog nodded to his mother. “Yes, we’ll do that.” He turned to the watching goblins, “Ye  are dismissed  . Ye did a good job, not only securing a fairy, but a princess!” He lifted his staff over his head and the goblins roared  excitedly . Then Bog reached down and grabbed Dawn by her arm, hauling her to her feet.

“Be careful!” She protested, reaching up to grab his hand.

“At least act scared.” Bog leaned down and whispered. “I have no intention of hurting ye Dawn, ye were  just  in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“You know my name?” Dawn blinked up at him. He ignored the question, making her walk with him. She yelped and glanced around, pretending to be more afraid than she was.

-=-=-=-=-

At first, Dawn had been afraid. She had been in a dark bag  being carried  in the talons of a massive creature and that scary. But it had given her time to think. Dawn had heard everything and reassured herself that she wasn’t actually in any danger.  The Bog King was frightening, but she had looked into his eyes and they didn’t convince her that he was actually someone to be afraid of . She had smiled to see what would happen. Yes, there had been horror stories, but he had loosened his grip on her the moment she had told him to be careful.

“Poor, Dear.” Griselda took Dawn’s other hand  gently . “I am so sorry about this.”

“Mother.”  Bog groaned, glancing down the hall as they crossed through their dining room and walked to his mother’s room . They walked to the door next to it and Bog pushed it open. “Why don’t ye get a lantern.” He peered into the darkness and waited for his mother. It only took her a moment to retrieve a golden globe wrapped in ornate bronze.

“What are you going to do with me?” Dawn asked the two goblins as they entered the room.

“I have questions for ye.” Bog grumbled, keeping his hand on Dawn’s shoulder. His mother set the lantern up on the middle of a small table. The single light was enough to illuminate the tiny room. Then Griselda began walking around the room, mumbling.

The room was Bog’s childhood bedroom. It wasn’t very big and had a small bed in it. Everything  was covered  in dust. Griselda sighed, going to the bed and pulling the blanket off the top of it. She began fussing over it. Dawn giggled and sneezed. Griselda pulled everything off and rushed by them. “Give me a few minutes, Dear!”

“Why did you have to kidnap me?” Dawn looked up at Bog. It was a valid question and Bog didn’t have a good answer. “How do you know my name?”

“I get reports.” Bog shrugged, not looking at her. “I have questions for ye.”

“I don’t know anything about anything!” Dawn beamed, happy that she didn’t have any knowledge that would be of any benefit to the goblin king.

“Ye do.” Bog turned and looked at her, scowling.

“Why do you keep doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“Making that face.”

“This is my usual face.”

“It’s a scary face.”

“I am supposed to be scary.” He snarled, then he sighed.

“Smile, Dear.” Griselda was back with fresh bedding and a pillow. She began making the bed. “I’m sorry if it’s not as soft as a fairy bed.”

“Oh, I’m too scared to sleep!” Dawn smiled. Griselda looked up at her, standing there with her son’s hand still on her shoulder. The little fairy girl was so beautiful with her blond hair and shining blue eyes. Standing next to her son made her look delicate and fragile, yet she didn’t look scared at all.

“In case you do, I want you comfortable.” Griselda was quick with what she was doing. “Would you like something to eat? Drink?”

“No. I’m too scared to eat or drink.” Dawn was giggling, glancing up at Bog. She had a suspicion and it was eating her alive to get it out.

“If you need anything,  just  knock on the door.” Griselda motioned to the door in the side of the room that led to hers. “I will be there.” Then she glanced up at her son in passing. “Behave.”

“Mother.” Bog groaned, realizing that she thought THIS fairy was the one he  was interested  in. “Not this one.” He motioned for her to leave. Griselda gave her son and Dawn one last smile, then stepped outside the door to leave them alone.

Bog let Dawn go the moment the door closed, but stepped to block the door,  just  in case. Dawn bounced over to the bed and sat down. Bog glanced around  nervously , wringing his hands. “I want to know about yer sister.”

“Why would you want to know about her? She doesn’t know much more than I do about anything!” Dawn kicked her legs and stared up at Bog. He kept his distance, leaning against the door and setting his staff aside.

“I uh, I,” He stumbled over his words. How was he going to put this? “I  just  want to know about her.”

“Why?” Dawn looked Bog  directly  in the eyes. “You made her  really   mad. That’s what I know right now. She’s not exactly the forgiving type.” Bog hung his head  shamefully  . He had made a mistake. Another in a long line of mistakes. Dawn stood on the bed so that she was the same height as Bog. She flared her wings, stretching them out. “You could  just  take me back right now.”

“No. I can’t.” Bog shook his head. He folded his arms and scowled at the floor. What was he thinking? “I set terms and I must follow them. Ye don’t get to leave until I have the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

“Why is that so important?” Dawn clasped her hands behind her and smiled at Bog.

“Because she is an awful person who causes chaos and rot wherever she goes.” Bog snarled  angrily . “With her lo-ove potions.”

Dawn began laughing. She folded her arms over her stomach, bending forward and laughed. Bog stared at her in confusion. Then she dropped into a sitting position on the bed. “Oh wow, you and Marianne are so perfect for each other! And you’re the one who’s been spying on her!”

“What?” Bog’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. “No! That’s not me! Never!” He protested.

“Let’s see.” Dawn pretended to be working through it, running her long fingers across her chin. “You’re very tall and thin. You have WINGS like a dragonfly! You  fly  into the dark forest, because you’re a GOBLIN! And those eyes!” Dawn smiled at Bog, noting that his face had become very red. “She described them as the most beautiful shade of brilliant blue, like sapphires.” She ended with a vigorous laugh, pleased with figuring it out. “You like my sister!”

“I do not!” Bog snapped. “I do not like anyone! Yer wrong!”

“You should see how red your face is.” Dawn smiled  sweetly  at Bog. He scowled back, then realized he had nothing to lose and everything to gain if he was truthful.

He grumbled. “She is the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen. So strong and fierce.” He sighed, his entire body slumping forward in defeat, “And I am this.” He gestured to himself.

Dawn tilted her head to one side and blinked. “So?”

“So?” Bog gestured to himself again, scowling.

“What?” Dawn blinked at him. “You’re a scary looking goblin. So, what?” Bog gave an exasperated sigh. She wasn’t getting it and he didn’t want to say it.

“I  just  want to know all about yer sister.” Bog leaned back against the door, folding his arms. “I want to know what impresses her. What does she like.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure kidnapping her little sister is not something that impresses her or something she likes  .” Dawn mused. “So you  just  did the worst thing possible.” She looked at Bog, watching his expression shifting from thoughtful to crestfallen. “If you don’t like her, why are you asking about her?”

“I don’t know.” Bog shrugged. “She is such an amazing and fierce warrior.”

“You have no idea.”

“I do.” Bog scowled, running a hand over the back of his neck. “It’s been a long evening. Why don’t ye sleep. Yer safe here.”

“You know, Boggy,” Dawn began.

“Bog King.” Bog scowled, correcting her.

“Boggy Woggy,” Dawn smiled.  “If you had come down out of that tree and landed on that rock Marianne likes to practice on and talked to her and  just  offered to spar with her, she would have let you  . None of the male fairies would do that. They wouldn’t  be seen  dead sparring with a female fairy. She would have liked that.”

Bog stared at her. Marianne would not have fled in terror? She wouldn’t have cared? “Do ye see how I look? I am the Bog King!” He started out bold, but finished  sadly . “I have shredded fairy wings.”

“Yeah, that’s scary.” Dawn shivered. “Are you going to shred my wings?” She scooted back on the bed, pulling her wings up around her like a protective blanket. “I  really  like my wings and that would hurt.”

“No. I will never do that again.” Bog sighed. “I swear. Never.” He turned away from Dawn, preparing to leave. “I will not harm ye, Dawn. I’ll see to ye in the morning.”

“Good night!” Dawn let her wings go and smiled at Bog. “Sweet Boggy.”

“Er, Good night, Dawn.” Bog mumbled, unsure of what to make of this strange fairy girl. She didn’t  really  seem that afraid of him and he didn’t want to do anything that might change that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE BOG and DAWN interacting parts. When I decided to go with downgrading the potion itself, this is what happened.
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving!


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne prepares to go into the dark forest and talk with the Bog King with her sword! Meanwhile, Dawn thinks Bog is the best thing ever for her sister.

Sunny almost walked out into the open field he  was supposed  to have been singing in that evening.  Something seemed off about all the fairy knights walking around, and he heard his name mentioned . Were they looking for him? Sunny hid in the shadows under a walkway and listened to the nearby conversation.

By the time Sunny had heard enough to figure out what was going on, he was chewing on his nails. He was in massive trouble! The goblins had kidnaped Dawn, and everyone was looking for him! Sunny waited for his chance to slip away and managed to get back out of town and into the field where he had left Lizzie.

The small elf trembled as he climbed up onto the lizard and took a seat on her head. “Let’s get out of here  quietly  .” He leaned over her head. “Back to the dark forest. I’m going to have to get back in that castle and rescue Dawn!” Lizzie made a trilling noise and  eagerly  followed her small master’s directions.

-=-=-=-=-

Dawn slept well for most of the night until she heard goblins passing up and down the halls. Fairies were  typically  out only during the day and slept all night. Goblins seemed to be awake at the same time at night that they were up during the day.

She listened to the sounds of scurrying feet and talking for a few minutes; then she heard the Bog King rampage through the hallways yelling at everyone to be quiet . Then he had lowered his voice, and she heard it echo through the hall. The fairy is trying to sleep!

Dawn giggled at the words, nestling into the warm, comfortable blankets Griselda had piled onto the bed for her . He was perfect! She had gone to sleep thinking about how she could convince Marianne to give him a chance. He had made mistakes, but to Dawn, it seemed like he was serious about making amends for them. She would see how serious he was.

Where else was Marianne going to find another male fairy who respected her in the same way Bog did? He thought he was a goblin?! Dawn thought that was funny. Goblins did not have wings. There had never been a goblin with wings! Fairies had wings! Dawn giggled to herself. She paid attention when they went over different kinds of fairies in school.

Bog wasn’t any fairy she had ever seen drawings of, but she was sure he was. She thought his wings, as tattered as they were, were beautiful in their own way. They would  probably  look nicer when they molted in another few weeks. Dawn assumed he would molt  just  like they did. Once a year, everyone   was grounded  for a week when their wings shed to   be replaced by  a fresh set. A lot of wear and tear could happen to a fairy’s wings in a year. They were tough, but not strong enough to last a lifetime.

Marianne and Dawn had shed their wings before the fairies were free to leave their rock. Dawn yawned, thinking about wings. It was quiet again, and she drifted off.

-=-=-=-=-

Dawn awoke to Griselda, entering her room  quietly . She was carrying a small bag and tiptoeing. “Dawn?” Griselda reached out to touch Dawn’s shoulder.

“What?” Dawn smiled blinking. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. “Is it morning?”

“Almost. Get up. I’m going to get you out of here. Here, I brought you some food.” Griselda put the bag in Dawn’s hands and tried to get the fairy girl to her feet.

“Oh? No. I’m not leaving.” Dawn grinned at Griselda, curling back up on the bed and yawning.

“But, you’re a prisoner. I want you to get home to your worried family.” Griselda stared at the girl in astonishment. “Don’t you want to go home?”

“After I help Bog.” Dawn yawned. “He needs a LOT of help if he’s going to get my sister to forgive him and love him and marry him and have kids and be King and Queen.” Dawn rambled, closing her eyes and snuggling back into the warm blankets.

“You, you want to help my son?” Griselda continued staring, unable to believe what she was hearing. “It’s your sister that my boy has been obsessing over?”

“Uh, huh,” Dawn mumbled.

“What can I do to help? He won’t tell me anything!” Griselda forgot to whisper. She was so excited about this new bit of information.

“Going to suggest he wears clothes,” Dawn mumbled, rolling over.

“Clothes. Right!” Griselda patted Dawn on the shoulder. “Thank you.” Then she left the room, not even bothering to lock the door behind her.

-=-=-=-=-

A couple of hours later, Bog followed his nose from the throne room to the kitchen. His mother was baking. She rarely baked because of the scarcity of flour and sugar, so this was a special day. Griselda had  just  placed a hot sheet pan out with two strawberry filled pastries on it.

“Mmm, thanks, Mom.” Bog reached for one pastry and has his hand immediately swatted away by his mother.

“Those are for Dawn.” Griselda scolded her son. Bog stared at her, offended that she wasn’t letting him have one. She pushed the pastries onto a plate and handed it to Bog. “Why don’t you take her breakfast since you’re her jailer.”

Bog scowled at his mother, taking the plate. He grumbled as he left the kitchen and walked into the dining area that would lead him to their bedrooms. Bog wasn’t prepared for what he would see when he opened the door to Dawn’s little room.

Griselda had been busy during the morning hours. Bog stood in the doorway and stared, his jaw dropping. The room was full of  brightly  colored flowers, ribbons, and decorations. Dawn sat in the middle of the bed, weaving a flower crown out of tiny white flowers.

“Does your mother think I eat flowers?” Dawn looked up with a laugh. “She keeps having goblins bring me more!”

“No.” Bog scowled, entering the room and setting his staff on one side of the door. “I’ve brought ye breakfast.” He offered Dawn the plate.

“Oh! Thank you!” Dawn bounced up and took the plate. “I’m starving! They smell delicious!” She went back to the bed and sat down to blow on the hot pastry and nibble on a corner. Bog stared at her  jealously .

“You need to have manners and respect.” Dawn began.

“I know court decorum,” grunted Bog. “My father taught me everything I would need to know to interact with the Fairy Court  properly .”

“Then why haven’t you ever been there?” Dawn took a big bite of the pastry and mmmed, closing her eyes. “Wild strawberries! My favorite!”

“I haven’t had a need.” Bog didn’t want to explain everything. He was looking back on things as a mature adult now and not an  emotionally  injured teenager. Some things he had done, no longer made sense. Unfortunately, he had done them and had to face the consequences.

Dawn put the plate down and walked up to Bog. “Ok, show me how you greet a princess.” Bog sighed, heaving his shoulders in annoyance as he did. “That’s not how you do it.”

Bog cleared his throat. Then he stepped forward to offer a shallow bow to Dawn  gracefully  . “Princess Dawn.” He held his hand out to her, his gaze meeting hers. Dawn placed her hand in Bog’s and smiled at him. He knelt and kissed the top of her hand, then stood back up. “A pleasure.” Then he smiled  politely .

“Perfect.” Dawn giggled. “Why couldn’t you have done that last night to Marianne?”

“Uh, she punched me.” Bog coughed.

“You could still have been polite instead of challenging her like you did.” Dawn scolded, finishing the first pastry. “You need to learn how to control your tongue and your anger.” Bog looked at the floor, feeling guilty. He knew he had problems with both. His anger was a far harder thing to control, but over the recent weeks, he was trying hard to stop his outbursts. That effort had died when Sugar Plum escaped.

“I am trying.” Bog grumbled.

“You look hungry.” Dawn held out the other pastry. Bog didn’t hesitate to accept it.

“Thank you.” Bog took a big bite, relishing the flavor in silence.

Dawn picked up the flower crown she had been working on while Bog ate the pastry. “You should  just  be you with Marianne.”

“I don’t like me sometimes.” Bog grumbled, finishing off the pastry.

“If you don’t like something about yourself, then stop doing it.” Dawn shrugged. She picked up the crown and smiled at Bog. “A king needs a crown.” She fluttered off the bed, and before Bog could protest, dropped the flower crown on his head. He jerked back in revulsion, sending the crown tilting  crookedly  over his left ear. Dawn giggled.

“What is that?!” He reached up to touch the crown.

“It looks good on you.” Dawn smiled at him,  sweetly . Seeing the look on her face, Bog didn’t remove the crown. “Why don’t you have a crown? You’re a King.”

“My father wasn’t big on such frivolous things.” Bog sat down on the bed, next to Dawn. He leaned forward, fidgeting with his hands. “Everyone knew he was king. He didn’t need a crown.” Dawn stood up on the bed and adjusted the crown on Bog’s head so that it was sitting straight. Then she began messing with the leaf-like protrusions on Bog’s head. “Stop that. Why are you doing that?” Bog made a face, lifting his arm to push Dawn away. She fluttered around to his back, looking at him. “Don’t look at me.” Bog turned, trying to glare at Dawn from one direction. She moved back, standing between his wings. “Stop that!”

“I  just  wanted to get a good look at you to get ideas.”  Dawn knelt, looking over the  cleverly  hidden buckles and straps that wound around and under Bog’s wings  . “You have armor on your chest.” She stated  thoughtfully . “You sleep in this?” It didn’t look comfortable.

“Yes. I’m used to it.” Bog got up and turned, placing his hands on the bed so he was at Dawn’s level. “Now stop that. I don’t enjoy  being examined . How would ye like me to examine ye like that?”

“I don’t care at all.” Dawn lifted her arms, flexed her wings, and rose. She turned around and posed in a way that made Bog uncomfortable.

“Stop that!” Bog snapped, rising to his full height. He rattled his wings, attempting to regain his composure. Dawn was a beautiful fairy, but not what Bog was after. “That makes me uncomfortable.” Dawn stopped with a grin. She dropped down onto the bed and sorted through the flowers strewn there.

“So, my sister is different from other fairies. She always has been,” Dawn began going over the topic Bog wanted to hear about first. “She used to love dressing up as much as any other girl, but she has always been one looking for adventure. She would come home with her dresses torn up and covered in mud or sticks and a smile on her face.”

Bog sat back down, listening to Dawn with his complete attention. “Go on.”

-=-=-=-=-

Marianne scowled as she looked through the main armory. She planned to  fly  into the dark forest in the evening and accept that challenge from the Bog King. She was furious, and her anger had only grown with each passing hour. Her father had told her everything about the problem with this Bog King.  The Fairy King  was distressed   , but at the same time, far too compassionate regarding the Bog King’s  many  transgressions .

There was no room for empathy regarding the Bog King in Marianne’s eyes. He was a vile, loathsome thing full of nothing but malice and evil. That thing in the dark forest had stolen her baby sister and threatened everyone. The more she thought about him, the more her hatred grew. She had meant it when she told him she would kill him.  Marianne had every intention of seeing through her threat, even though she had never hit another living person or thing with her sword .

If anyone deserved to be her first kill, it was the Bog King. He was a monster, and she would secure her role in the Fairy Kingdom as a fierce warrior queen with his death. Marianne needed to find something to serve as armor. It would be an unfair battle if she attempted to engage him with  just  her sword. The armory was full of armor, old and new, but it was all fit for male fairies. Everything was too big. Marianne sighed, wishing for a magical set of armor that would mold to her size if she put it on.  Sadly , that wasn’t available.

Marianne wasted over an hour of her time in the armory, before she gave up. She would have to fight him without armor. Over a year of training had made Marianne faster and stronger than any other female fairy. Without armor to hinder her, she was  probably  quicker than most males. Marianne began talking herself up. She would have to take the Bog King by surprise. Her initial attack had to hit him in some vital area.

The Bog King  was covered  in armor, but he had weak points. Marianne flexed her fingers and looked at the bandage wrapped over her right hand. Punching him had left a gash on her knuckles that would leave a nasty scar. Marianne took a deep breath, staring at her hand. He was dangerous, and the Bog King would not hold back. He was older than she was, bigger, stronger, and had far more experience in fighting.

Many stories had drifted across the border over the years. The Bog King had fought off massive predators. What hope did she have of taking him out? The element of surprise. He wouldn’t expect her. That’s all Marianne had. There would be no discussions; she would go in there and take him out as fast as possible. Her life depended on  just  how quickly she could do it.  Possibly  , so did Dawn’s.  She hated to imagine what kind of torture her poor, sweet, innocent little sister might be enduring.

-=-=-=-=-

“You’re actually good at this!” Dawn giggled, looking in a hand mirror and watching Bog weaving flowers into her hair. “We don’t have the same kind of flowers at home!”

“Uh, thank you.” Bog would have died if anyone had seen him right now. He sat on the bed, with Dawn sitting in front of him with her back to him. She had asked if he could put a few flowers in her hair,  just  for fun. He had rolled his eyes, groaned about it, then conceded to make her happy and talking. She had stuck out her lower lip and pouted at him, then pleaded with her eyes. He felt obligated to do it; then, he figured out why she had asked him in the first place.

“See, you can be gentle.” Dawn smiled as Bog placed a few more flowers in her hair in a pleasant arrangement.

“My mother used to have me do this.” Bog grumbled. When he was a child, Bog had  been fascinated  with his mother’s hair. So few goblins had hair. She had taught him to do this very thing when his father wasn’t looking. Being gentle and patient like this, wasn’t something Bog had to do for a very long time. “Marianne would like this?” He wasn’t sure he believed that.

“Uh, huh.” Dawn nodded.  “If you could bring me paper and something to draw with, I bet I can come up with something fashionable for you to wear when you take me home . If you have goblins, who can do that kind of thing?”

“My mom can.” Bog grumbled, thinking over things. “I can’t take ye home until the Sugar Plum Fairy  is captured .”

“What if they never catch her.” Dawn got up and twirled  happily . “You’re not going to keep me here forever, are you?”

Bog frowned, thinking it over. He began plucking the petals off a large flower he still had in his hands. “At the end of the week, I’m going to have to accept it, and I will take ye back home. My reputation is dead anyway.” He leaned forward, his shoulders slumping under a heavy weight. “I only did the things I did to protect my home and my people.” Talking to Dawn was becoming easier and easier. She had  unintentionally  pried open a chink in his mental armor, hitting a vulnerable spot. Bog didn’t have anyone to talk to about anything. Dawn’s outright acceptance of him had been enough. He liked the fairy girl.

“Boggy.” Dawn stood in front of him, leaning down to see him eye to eye. “When I get home, I promise I’ll tell everyone you were good to me, and I won’t mention this.” She motioned to her hair and giggled.

“It’s Bog.” He gave Dawn a crooked smile.

“You know, you have a cute smile.”

“I do not.” Bog pressed his lips together into a flat line.

“No,  really , when you do that little half-smile, your face brightens up.” Dawn gave Bog a huge smile. “It completely changes how you look when you smile.”

“I will get ye some paper and pencils.” Bog stated. “We don’t have a lot to work with, but my Mom can do a lot. I’ll go get them now; then ye can tell me more about Marianne.” Bog got up and smiled at Dawn. She smiled back, and he couldn’t help but feel happy. Unlike everyone else, she didn’t fear him. Bog realized that it was a choice he was making not to frighten her. She was a blank slate in his life, and he didn’t want to write anything bad about himself on it. Bog never enjoyed  being feared in the first place. He had made his people fear him  unintentionally , then gone on that path, because it seemed to be the right one. Now, he liked this much better.

-=-=-=-=-

Sunny fretted about what he would do. The elf had climbed high in a tree near the goblin castle so he could observe them.  He was waiting for the time the goblins  regularly  napped, but it was now well past noon, and every goblin he could see was moving around with far more energy than they should have been . There were more of them than there had been the first time Sunny had come near the castle.

Lizzie was resting on a lower limb, spread out in the warm afternoon sun. She had eaten a bunch of wild berries earlier and was a very content lizard. Sunny sighed. He felt like he was going to be waiting for a long time.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Roland had a handful of men with him as he patrolled the southern border of the Fairylands.  They had arrived to investigate strange behaviors among the elves and other creatures who lived there  .  They were acting like they were in love, and it was causing a lot of problems for the elves attempting to get their daily work done in the fields . Roland had immediately volunteered to investigate. He knew exactly what was going on.

When they arrived in the area, they came across several couples, fairies kissing elves, elves kissing frogs, a fish, and a fairy in one of the nearby streams  . That last one made Roland intervene before the poor fairy boy drowned himself. The boy had to   be secured   and   was taken  off by one of his men. There was love potion around here somewhere, and it was not in Sunny’s hands, that was certain.

Then, one of Roland’s men saw the imp with the bottle cavorting in a field, sneaking up on a pair of elves working the fields. Roland gave the order, and his men moved in, some on the ground, some in the air. Roland himself wasn’t the least bit afraid of a little imp, and he had to get that potion from it before he used it all! The imp  was distracted by  his glee in sneaking up on the elves and never saw the fairies converge on him.

What followed was a frantic chase, with fairies grabbing for the creature as it squealed and fled with amazing speed and agility  . It raced in a wild path, dodging and leaping around and over armored parents. More than one fairy ended up eating dirt, but Roland would not   be deterred . He had to have that potion! The imp almost made it to the dark forest. Roland threw all caution to the wind and landed on top of him, grabbing for the potion. The creature squealed and slipped from Roland’s hands. He darted into the dark forest and turned to laugh, then realized that he was missing something.

Roland laughed, standing up and shaking the bottle of love potion. It still had a little potion in it.  Probably  enough to use on Marianne. He turned and smiled at the crestfallen animal, watching him from the forest. “Thank you, strange rabbit.” He laughed and tucked the potion into his armor. He would wait until this crisis was over, but he had achieved the first part of his plan.

-=-=-=-=-

Bog handed his mother a few sheets of paper that Dawn had drawn a very interesting outfit.  It incorporated the armor plating he usually wore, but they were to   be dyed  to stand out, so, as she put it, Bog wouldn’t look like he was walking around completely naked . He wasn’t sure why fairies were so concerned about wearing clothes all the time. Dawn had to explain to him that fairies and goblins were different. Then she had pointed out Bog’s mother and asked him why she wore clothes, and only her kind of goblin did.

Dawn was a lot smarter than she had  initially  looked, and Bog got her point immediately. In his case, it was more for appearances and protection. For Fairies, their reasons were biological. Most male and female goblins didn’t have any secondary sex characteristics. This made it hard to tell males from females. Bog never gave much mind to which ones were male and which ones were female. It didn’t matter to goblins, because everyone was  just  expected to do their job. It only became important in the spring.

“ I think  we can do this.” A huge smile spread across Griselda’s face. “We already have several sets of your armor as backup, and we can dye one.”

-=-=-=-=-

Marianne made sure her father didn’t suspect a thing. She visited him every few hours and asked if there had been any news about Dawn. It was all for show. It was dusk when Marianne made the last visit. She hugged him, told him everything would be all right, then excused herself to go to bed. Once there, she turned off all the lights and walked out onto her balcony. The elf town that was a short distance away glittered with street lights.

Marianne secured a recent map to the Bog King’s castle with the best route marked on it. She wouldn’t have any problems if she followed the map, and it would take her a little over an hour to  fly  there. She had to be fast and remain out of sight. Marianne bit her lower lip, placing her hand on her sword. This was real, and she would follow through her plan. She would go in alone and battle the Bog King. She glanced at the massive bruise on her right shoulder, where he had struck her with his staff. It ached, but she could still use her arm.

Her foot rose upon the low stone rail. Another breath. And another. Then Marianne growled and snapped her wings upright. She jumped off the rail and flew out low over the ground. She didn’t want to  fly  too high, or someone might see her. Marianne avoided going into town. Instead, she set off over a field with tall sugar grass growing in it. In ten minutes, Marianne was at the edge of the forest.  She flew along the border to the north, then after a moment’s hesitation, she hovered  just  outside the boundary . She could see nothing but shadows.

“Here we go!” Marianne dove into the trees, keeping up high. The moon provided enough light for her to see, but branches still reached out and scraped for her wings. Thankfully, there were more leaves on the trees than pointy branches, and Marianne slipped through them without catching on anything. She went low when the trees broke, eyes open, and hand ready to draw her sword if she needed to. There were not supposed to be a lot of goblins out in the northern entry. She expected most of them to be at the castle, guarding it and her sister.

Marianne ran into more of the local fauna than she cared to. There were massive spider webs to avoid. Wild rose bushes and other vines made some areas challenging to traverse. They were so thick in places that Marianne wasn’t sure if they were even safe to  fly  over. She couldn’t see anything below here. Several times, she saw predators in the distance. There were bats, owls, snakes, and many other wild creatures moving in the forest. And there were the goblins. Marianne had to keep a constant lookout for them.

Soon, Marianne saw her goal come into sight. The area of the dark forest where there were ancient trees rose ahead. They were taller than any of the trees in the Fairylands. Their limbs reached to the sky, casting dark shadows everywhere. And below those trees was the goblin’s castle. It was a shattered stump that sat  mostly  out in the open. From Marianne’s view, it had a gaping chasm around it and looked like at one time; it had been a formidable fortress. Now. It was  just  a stump with a courtyard winding through one area and an enclosed central area. She caught a gleaming reflection from the moon and took a moment to figure out what it was.

There was a skylight set into the roof of the enclosed section of the stump. Marianne smiled and prepared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The flower crown was a lot easier to deal with than the boutonniere and plays a significant part in upcoming events. Plus, Bog keeps forgetting it's there. :D Back to, I love Bog and Dawn interactions.  
> Next update - the battle! I might toss it up early.


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne drops in for a sneak attack!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder: This is minimally edited and I am avoiding reading over it again until I do my deep editing, which will take a loooong tiiiime. Also, not sure why Hemingway keeps mangling my punctuation and spacing. 0.o I apologize for that.

Bog settled into his throne, running a hand over his forehead. Dawn was exhausting with all her energy and information. But she  eventually  had to sleep. Bog said goodnight and received a hug from her. The kind gesture surprised him, but it also made him feel good. He liked Dawn and hoped that  eventually  , he could be like that with Marianne.  Dawn’s  overly  cheerful personality was tiring, but as a person, Bog found her presence to have a calming effect on him  .  He didn’t want to do anything to frighten her and had no problem keeping his voice down and occasional annoyance from cropping up into an outburst .

There were a few goblins in the throne room. Stuff and Thang were among them. Most of them were napping while standing. Their routine had been completely disrupted. Bog scowled. This was what love did. It caused chaos, and it upset his order.

“Boss, boss!” A goblin ran up to his throne.

“Yes, what is it?” Bog grumbled, glaring at the small goblin.

“There’s reports of creatures being love dusted!” The goblin whispered the message. Bog took a deep breath and sat upright. She had done it. The blasted Sugar Plum Fairy was taking out her revenge on him, and this was all his fault!

“Bring them in.” Bog snarled. “ All of  them. Get out there and get them all so we can get this problem under control. I don’t care if you have to go into the Fairylands to do it, get everyone out there!”

“Yes, Sir!” The goblin squeaked and scurried off to relay the order, leaving Bog stewing on his throne.

Bog ran his hand over his face again and sighed. He felt responsible for Sugar Plum escaping. Now she was sowing chaos through his kingdom and the fairylands. This couldn’t  be tolerated . His gaze rested on the shadows coming from the skylight. It was usually lit up and solid, with only a few lines from the design showing through around his throne.

There was something wrong. The moonlight that should have been solid seemed to have a fluttering shadow in it. What could be causing the shadow? A moth? Bog scowled, looking up at the skylight. His eyes popped open as he realized what it was too late. There was a fairy coming down at the skylight. He could only see the outline, but he KNEW that outline well.  He grabbed his staff as the fairy hit the skylight with so much momentum it shattered, allowing her to dive right into Bog’s throne room . With an earsplitting war cry, she flew at Bog, her sword upraised.

“Whoa!” Bog leaped out of the way as the sword smashed into his throne, gouging out a massive chunk of bone. Bog danced to the side as Marianne used her weight to pull the sword free. She turned and went after him,  furiously  hacking and slashing with her sword. Bog was so startled; he didn’t block the first blow.  The tip ripped through his chest armor, peeling up layers in a long jagged slash that ran from the top right of his chest to the lower left . Bog jerked back before a second could hit him, then he remembered his staff.

“What are you doing?!” Bog blocked Marianne’s sword. This was insane. She had come to fight him one on one in an ambush. He thought it more likely that she would show up at the front gates demanding a battle. If she had done that, then they would have spoken first, and he would have avoided this.

“I’m here to kill you!” Marianne’s sword flew so fast; Bog had a difficult time blocking it. He backed up a few steps, impressed with her ability and realizing he needed to fight back. She intended to kill him.

“Ugh,  really  ?!” Bog smacked her sword away  effortlessly . She countered, a furious gleam in her eyes. Bog scowled as they danced around his throne room. He was trying not to hurt her, but on occasion, he had to hit her. She was having a more difficult time getting to him.

“Stand still!”

“Are ye kidding?! Yer trying to kill me!” Bog roared, seeing an opening and disarming her. The sword flew into the air, and Marianne dropped to the ground. She kicked the bottom of Bog’s staff, and he was  suddenly  unbalanced.  Marianne then caught him with her other leg, grabbed the head of his staff, and forced him off balance further  . She caught her sword, behind her back, and lunged forward. “Not bad!” Bog whistled, then smiled, recovering fast enough to bat the sword aside. He  just  had to wear her out.  Surely  he could do that.

The battle continued. Bog took to the air, flying up above his throne, where he had more room to maneuver.  Marianne followed him, and they ended up crossing sword and staff along the walls, then around the hanging lanterns  .  Bog alighted on one and Marianne on another, still striking at each other as the cables creaked and swayed  violently  . Marianne didn’t seem to see that Bog was only attempting to fend her off, not attack. She was so angry, all she could see  was red  and her target.  She caught him several more times, the tip of her sword gouging new scars into his shoulder plates, a slash over his armored arms . Nothing hit him that drew blood. Bog was too good to allow something like that to happen. That and he knew her every move and sequence.

Unfortunately, Marianne was not faring  nearly   as well.  She was hitting him, but he hit her back, and the jagged ornamentation on the staff would open up another small scratch or gash here and there on her arms and legs . There were small rips in her tunic, and Bog winced every time he caused a new wound. Still, she was coming at him.

They circled the throne room for the fifth time when Marianne began taunting him. “ Seriously , don’t you have a sword?”

“ Seriously, why?” Bog snarled, rolling his eyes. “I can take ye out with my staff without a problem.”

“Then why is this taking so long!” Marianne hissed back. She was beginning to breathe hard from all the exertion, and so was Bog.

“Because ye won’t stop trying to kill me!” Bog snarled, swiping at her with the staff. She jerked backward, letting the staff pass inches from her abdomen.

“This would be so much faster if you had a sword!” Marianne scowled. “You’re getting slower! You’re too old to keep this up!” She smiled, blowing a stray lock of hand out of her eyes.

“I could do this all day!” Bog mimicked the motion and grinned back at her. “So why doncha give up now, Tough Girl!”

“I haven’t even begun!” Marianne flew at him, and Bog flew to meet her, jerking to one side to evade her thrust. He twisted his staff around to catch Marianne’s blade in the head of his staff. He ended up next to her and leaned over.

“Got any more moves, Princess?”  Bog smirked, and then his smile vanished as Marianne let go of her sword and grabbed him, pulling at his armored plating . She punched him in the ear, which immediately sent stars and pain flashing through Bog’s head. He yelped and grabbed for her. For a moment, he couldn’t see, but he knew better than to let that stop him from fighting back. “Get off of me!” Bog dropped his staff and used both hands to grab for the smaller fairy. Marianne managed to get ahold of his left arm and twisted it in such a way that it brought him to his knees. He snarled and rolled on the ground, hoping he wouldn’t smash his wings or hurt Marianne when he did it. He felt the sharp spar on his elbow connect with Marianne’s body, and she let go. Bog rolled to his feet, grabbing for his staff.

Marianne  momentarily  vanished from view. “Uh, oh.” Bog looked above him in time to see the butt of Marianne’s sword coming down into his forehead. He crashed to the ground with a splitting pain in his head. Something warm and wet streamed down his face and over his eyes. Bog   was disoriented . Then he saw the ring of white flowers on the floor in front of him. His eyes fixed on it, and the only thing he could think of was this was a gift from Dawn. He knelt and reached for it at the same time that Marianne came at him swinging her sword.

The blow completely missed, flying over Bog’s head. Marianne followed it with a yelp. She ended up on the ground in front of him. The sword felt  incredibly  heavy as she rose and lifted the point to Bog’s face.

He looked up, gripping the flowers in one hand. His staff was on the ground next to him, and he was  just  tired.  He could fight longer if he wanted to, but he could see blood dripping down the side of Marianne’s tunic and pooling on the floor at her feet . She was out of breath, but still holding the sword upraised.

“Go ahead.” Bog lifted his chin, exposing his neck. Marianne growled, stepping closer, moving on will alone. She could kill him right now. One thrust would take care of him. “Kill me.” Then Bog sighed and looked into Marianne’s eyes. It would be the last thing he ever saw, and at the moment, he was okay with it.

Marianne’s beautiful amber lit eyes were full of fury and anger. The fire within was mesmerizing. Dying at the hands of this lovely fairy warrior was  probably  the only way he would ever be near her. This was an easy way out. Who would care if he was gone? His mother.  She would  probably  be the only one to shed a tear over him, and that thought did cause a little flicker of emotion to rise, but it wasn’t enough to make him move . He looked at Marianne, and he smiled at peace with his decision.

Marianne stood, still catching her breath and thinking about it. One second. It would be over in one second. She went over what she wanted to do, and her arm locked in preparation.

There was one problem. The fierce Lord of the Goblins was on his knees, clutching a silly flower crown in his hands. It had been on his head for some reason that Marianne couldn’t fathom. Now those eyes were looking at her, and they made her hesitate. She remembered those eyes. These were the same sad, stunning blue eyes she had seen in the darkness of the tree she had trapped her stalker.

The Bog King was the one who had been watching her for over a year? They had played their ridiculous game over that time, and she had enjoyed it. She had even enjoyed their fight  just  now. The BOG KING? She stared into his sad eyes and couldn’t do it. She let the tip of her sword drop to the floor with a clang.

“Where is my sister?” Marianne wavered, then fell to her knees with a low groan. She dropped her sword and gasped.

“She’s fine.” Bog reached for Marianne’s sword and tossed it aside so that she couldn’t reach it. “Ye are not.” He grumbled. Several goblins were standing nearby. They  probably  expected him to finish her. Bog didn’t care anymore. He was going to do what he wanted to do, not what he felt he   was supposed  to do. Bog knelt and reached for Marianne, then stopped himself. “I want to take ye to our healers. May I pick ye up, Princess Marianne?”

Marianne looked up at him. Her adrenaline had run its course, and now she was in a lot of pain with every movement. She had no choice. She was going to bleed to death here and be at his mercy, or she could let him pick her up. He was kneeling with his arms out, waiting for her decision.

“What are you going to do with me?” Marianne took a deep, ragged breath.

“I swear, I am not going to harm ye.” Bog scowled, holding out a hand to her. “Ye are most impressive, Princess.” He smiled, hoping what Dawn had told him was true, and it would make him less threatening. “Let me help ye.”

“I don’t have a choice,” Marianne grumbled, closing her eyes. Bog moved forward to wrap his arms around her, trying to be careful of her injuries. Most were shallow cuts and gashes, but where he had jabbed her with his arm had cut into her side  just  above her left hip. He stood and scowled at the closest goblin, “Get the healers down to the infirmary. NOW!”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne didn’t want to, but it was easier to  be carried  with an arm around Bog’s neck. He flew her through the castle and down the stairs so his footsteps wouldn’t jar her. The infirmary was lit up with the same spiked amber lit lanterns that hung throughout the castle. There was no one present when Bog stepped inside. He laid Marianne down on the closest bed and turned his back to search for a clean cloth to press on her hip. He knew he needed to stop the bleeding immediately. Marianne blinked at the surroundings. It wasn’t much different from a Fairy infirmary. There were shelves with rolls of clean cloth and bottles of medicines.  Piles of folded material, spools of fine string, and bottles of disinfectant filled other shelves . Bog turned back to her with a handful of cloth and pressed it to her hip. Marianne winced and laid back, trying to look at anything but the Bog King.

“What are you going to do with me?” Marianne repeated her earlier question. She didn’t believe for a moment that she wasn’t going to end up in a cell in his dungeon forever. Marianne had attacked him and lost.  Technically  , he had given up, so she didn’t  really  lose, did she? But now she was in a state where she couldn’t  physically  leave.

“Why do ye keep asking me that when I already answered ye?” Bog grunted. “I’m going to get ye bandaged up; then ye need to recover. I’m not going to let Dawn see ye like this. Did ye think I’d drag her down here? It would worry her.” He looked down at the flower crown that he had left beside Marianne.

“Why would you care about worrying Dawn?” Marianne scowled. “She’s your prisoner.”

Bog reached over, picked up the flower crown, and tossed it on his head with one hand. It landed  crookedly . Marianne stared at him, perplexed by his strange behavior. “Because I like Dawn.” He admitted.

Marianne responded with a loud groan, rolling her eyes. “Oh no, is Dawn in LOVE with you?!”

“I hope not.” Bog scowled. “Love is disgusting. I would never allow it.”

“Good.” Marianne breathed a sigh of relief. “Me, either.” She made a face. “I already made that mistake.” Several goblins rushed into the room, one of them taking Bog’s place and shooing him off to the side. They surrounded Marianne and  quickly  went over her injuries, starting with the one on her hip. She heard and felt her tunic  being torn  so they could get a better look, then she   was encouraged  to roll on her side.

“Sir, you have blood on your face.” Marianne heard one of them say, cornering Bog.

“It’s nothing. I’ll wash it off.” Bog reached up to touch the tender spot on his forehead. He shrugged and wiped it over his damaged chest armor. Then he sat down to wait.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Sunny had managed to sneak back into the goblin castle through the dungeon at dusk. He had found the dungeon area empty of any captives. Swallowing all his fears, the small elf ventured out into the castle itself. Most of the goblins seemed to be on the outside of the castle, and he could hear them coming down the hall. He had time to hide in every case.  The castle halls were clean and free of clutter, but there were a lot of nooks and crannies that could conceal a small elf in shadows  . There were also a lot of empty rooms.  Sunny made his way up, figuring that since the Bog King could  fly   , he might have his rooms upstairs, and he might have a better chance of finding Dawn there . He might be keeping her nearby. In any case, Sunny would find her, and when he found her, he was going to devise a plan to get her out.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Dawn pushed the door to her room open and peered outside. It looked like neither Bog or his mother had bothered to lock the door.  She had spent the last fifteen minutes standing behind the door listening to the sound of Bog yelling and someone else’s very familiar voice yelling back at him  . She had heard the sounds of fighting and cringed at each clang and thud. But worst of all, it was when it went silent. Dawn knew her sister had come, and she   was worried  about what had happened.

The hall was empty, and Dawn closed the door behind her. She needed to know.  Cautiously  , the little fairy walked into the hall and made her way to the throne room. It was empty, but a few steps in and Dawn gasped. She covered her mouth and whimpered. There were small spatters of blood near the throne. Then there was a much larger pool that   was smeared  around a little. It didn’t take much imagination to see what had happened.

Bog’s footprints left the pool, leaving red marks from the pool to where he had taken to the air.  Dawn stretched her wings and  quickly  followed the trail of blood drops that marked which way Bog had gone  . She knew he was carrying Marianne, and she   was injured .

“Dawn!” Two voices called her name  simultaneously  . One was Griselda, who was running across the throne room toward her with a worried look on her face. The other was Sunny, who had  just  peeked into the doorway Dawn was flying toward. Sunny yelped, spotting Griselda at the same time she saw him.

“Sunny!” Dawn shouted, landing in front of the door. “It’s okay!”

“No, it is NOT okay.” Bog’s voice boomed from behind Sunny. He was returning from the infirmary and spotted the elf immediately. Sunny yelped and darted through the door, grabbing Dawn around the waist. Bog landed and stormed toward Dawn, his wings still rattling in agitation. “What is-is THAT the elf who caused  all of  this?!”

Dawn stood firm but winced, and Bog immediately took a step back and lowered his wings. For a moment, they stood in silence, then Sunny made a feeble reply, “I didn’t mean to start anything.”

“Didn’t mean to?” Bog snarled. “Do ye realize what ye have done? I have a mind to toss ye to my goblins!”  Bog swept up a hand, and several of the bigger goblins that had  just  entered from the other side of the throne room perked up.

“Please don’t!” Dawn backed up and knelt to turn and put her arms around Sunny. “I’m sure he had a good reason! Sunny’s my best friend, please don’t hurt him!”

“Princess, please move out of the way and allow me to deal with him.” Bog reached out to Dawn, intending to separate the two. “I will not harm him, but I am going to toss him into the dungeon until I figure out what I am going to do with him.”

“Dear,” Griselda stepped forward. “We have more important problems than an elf.”

“I can’t have him sneaking around in my castle!” Bog snapped at his mother.

“Bogdan, you have TWO fairy princesses as your captives.” Griselda sighed.  “If you harm an elf on top of that, you are hurting someone from the Fairy Kingdom, and if you do that, they might decide to bring their army in  !” Bog scowled at his mother. She rarely, if ever, stood up to him about anything. On occasion, she might offer advice, but the look in her eye told him that he should listen to what she had to say. She  was worried . Griselda never seemed to worry about anything, but right now, there was a look of fear in her eyes.

“Get out here, Elf.” Bog turned to him and snarled. “Ye don’t listen to me, and I will grab ye by yer hair and drag ye down to the dungeon. I am not going to hurt ye, but we are going to have an understanding.” Sunny gulped and  slowly  let go of Dawn. She whimpered, looking up at Bog with pleading eyes.

“I am  really   sorry, Bog King, sir.” Sunny took a deep breath and stared at the ground. Bog ignored both him and Dawn. He walked past them and retrieved his staff, then he came back to Sunny and slammed the end down in front of him. “I  just  , I  just  wanted Dawn to notice me and, and I know it was the wrong thing to do. Then you took her, and I had to come and rescue her, and, and.” Sunny stumbled over his words.

Bog took a deep breath and leaned on his staff. “Look here, Elf, I have a suspicion that the Fairy King is NOT going to be any happier with ye than I am. Ye were half of what I asked for. The other half is the Sugar Plum Fairy. Where is she?”

“I don’t know.” Sunny squeaked as Bog loomed over him.

“Ye got guts coming in here, so why doncha leave and bring the Sugar Plum Fairy back with ye? I won’t do anything with ye, but ye will be free to go if you do that. Dawn will be free to go.”  Bog snarled seeing a way he could use this annoying little elf and get him out of the castle without upsetting Dawn . After all, the elf wasn’t what he wanted.

“I don’t know how to do that,” Sunny’s forehead wrinkled in thought. “She doesn’t want to come back.”

“Ye were smart enough ta get inside my castle twice.  Surely  ye can come up with something!” Bog stamped his staff on the ground several times in thought. Catching and holding her was going to be problematic. He didn’t remember how to create the web that had ensnared her in the first place. “Find where he is and tell the fairies. Get to it.”

“I’m  really  sorry, Dawn.” Sunny whimpered.

“What did you mean by getting me to see you? I see you all the time.” Dawn looked at Sunny in confusion. Bog scowled, looking from Sunny to Dawn and back again. His scowl lightened into a frown, then a thin-lipped line. He figured out  precisely  what Sunny was saying. It was the same thing he had told Sugar Plum when he went to her to get the love potion in the first place. He wanted to  be seen  . This elf had  just  wanted the same thing he had. Was he in love with Dawn?

For an elf, what Sunny had done was a far greater risk than what Bog had done. Why would he endanger his life like that? TWICE? And now Bog was sending him out into the dark forest by himself. The forest was full of far more dangerous things than the Fairylands. The Elf would  possibly  have to pass through the Fairylands as well, with everyone looking for him. Sunny sighed and nodded.

“I’ll go.”

“Wait.” Bog smiled, getting an even better idea. The Fairies likely had libraries that housed  a number of  books, including books on magic. “I’m going to give ye an option. Ye can go find the Sugar Plum Fairy, or ye can go and find me a magic book that has the proper spell to make another web prison. If ye bring me the right book, I will let ye go.”

Sunny brightened up.  Retrieving magic books sounded like a much easier task, even though he was going to have to bypass many fairies and elves who would be looking for him  . He knew where the main library was and that it did have an area for books on magic.   They    were forbidden    to    be checked  out by commoners, but he felt like it wouldn’t be a problem for him to sneak in and find the right one . “I’ll do it!” he stated with much more enthusiasm.

“Good.” Bog then recalled another thing he needed to deal with.  He loomed over Sunny in a threatening manner, “One more thing, did ye tell anyone what the Sugar Plum Fairy told you about me ?”

Sunny shrank beneath Bog’s shadow and whimpered, “No. I haven’t spoken to anyone.”

“See that ye don’t.” Bog snarled, then he thrust his staff to the door. “Go, I will tell the goblins to leave ye alone.” He turned to the scattering of goblins nearby. “No eating the elf!” He yelled. “Pass the message on, NOW!” The goblins scattered as  quickly  as they could. Sunny took off out the door, not waiting for an escort. He could find his way out fast enough.

That left Bog standing with his mother and a sad Dawn. She waved at her friend, then looked up at Bog  uncertainly . “What are ye doing out of yer room?” Bog turned to her. “Were ye trying to escape?”

“No.” Dawn shook her head. “I heard the fighting, and I heard Marianne.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, and she looked to the floor. The droplets of blood were there for all to see.

“I will take ye down to see her.” Bog put one hand on Dawn’s shoulder,  gently  prodding her forward. “They should   be done  bandaging her up, but she’s in bad shape.”

“What did you do to her?” Dawn whispered, afraid of the answer.

“Well, she attempted to kill me and would not stop fighting, so I had to defend myself.” Bog scowled. “I did not intend to hurt her.” He lifted his arm, showing Dawn the bloody shield point that extended off of his elbow. “ I believe  she will be okay.   She    was settled  when I left, but I do not intend to leave her alone for long, because I’m sure she’s going to come staggering up here and try to rescue ye .”

“Oh, you bet I am!” At that, everyone looked up to see Marianne leaning in the doorway of the throne room. She stomped forward  unsteadily  .  There were several small goblins attempting to hold onto her without causing her anymore harm . A wrapping of cloth went around her waist. It was already soaked red with blood. “I’m here to rescue Dawn!”

Dawn gasped, her hands flying to her mouth at her sister’s injured appearance.

Bog rolled his eyes and flew to Marianne. She looked up at him,  defiantly , and smiled. “Want to go another round, Bog King?”

“Ye are insufferable.” Bog snorted, reaching down to grab Marianne by her hand. He intended to drag her back to the infirmary, kicking and screaming if he had to. She took a swing at him with the other hand, and fell into his arms. Bog scooped her up and snarled. “I am trying to help ye, Lass!” She protested for a moment, until Dawn ran up to them and grabbed her hand.

“I’m fine, Marianne!” Dawn cried out. “Please stop that! He’s not going to hurt you! Well, any more.”

“I didn’t intend to hurt ye in the first place.” Bog snorted. “I wanted to talk to ye.” He grumbled.

“Talk to me? You have a funny way of inviting me to talk to you. You told me to come get her.” Marianne scowled up at him. She began punching at his chest plate.

“Stop that.” Bog scowled, taking to the air to carry her back down to the infirmary. Dawn flew after them and Griselda ran, along with the goblins who had followed Marianne back up. “I got a little carried away, and I was angry.”

“I am so mad at you!” Marianne stated, folding her arms and glaring at him. “Over the last year, it was you! Why were you watching me? Why did you keep watching me?” Bog stared ahead, his face turning red at the fact he was being called out.

“I am going to have them tie ye down, so ye don’t keep hurting yerself.”

“I’m talking to you!” Marianne reached up and grabbed Bog’s ear, pulling on it.

“Ow!” Bog grunted. “Stop that!” He wobbled in his flight, then landed a few steps outside the infirmary. For the second time he walked inside and put Marianne down on the first bed. She tried to fight him and he ended up leaning over to hold both of her wrists down at her sides. “Someone strap her down so she can’t get up. Give her something.”  Goblins swarmed around him with straps that were often used to hold down  unruly  goblins who didn’t want to be there . Marianne scowled at Bog when he stepped back and sighed.

Dawn moved to Bog’s side to watch. “Marianne, please don’t fight them. They’re only trying to help.”

Marianne was going to say something when a goblin dusted her with some glittering gold dust. She sneezed, blinked, then got a strange look on her face. She laid back on the bed and smiled, relaxing completely. Bog pulled Dawn back a step.

“Careful, it’s  just  sedative dust we sometimes have to use on goblins who are fighting treatment.” Bog grumbled.  The goblins were already at work, removing the bandage around Marianne’s waist and going over the injury a second time  .  It looked like they had sutured the wound, then Marianne had gotten up immediately after they finished  . Sutures   were broken  , and the gash looked worse than when Bog had brought her in the first time. “I am sorry, Marianne. I did not want ye to  be hurt .”

“What? Hurt? I’m not hurt.  I feel  great!” Marianne giggled. “I’m flying! Or am I swimming? Can you swim in the air? Is this what swimming feels like?”

“It also dulls the pain and makes them say weird things.” Bog muttered. “Have ye seen enough, Dawn? I can take ye back to yer room.”

“No, I want to stay with my sister.” Dawn whimpered. She was so afraid for her right now and confused. Bog patted her on the shoulder, pulling her back to where there was a bench against the wall.

“Then I will stay too.”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Griselda grumbled as she watched the scene unfold. This wasn’t how she wanted to meet the apparent love of her son’s life. However, the one good thing about it was that for the first time in decades, she saw Bog being compassionate to someone. And not just one, but both fairy girls and the elf, who he was angry with. For the longest time, Bog had only seemed to have one emotion. Smoldering anger at everyone and everything. Now, she was seeing more of his father in him. It warmed her heart, but she was still worried.

 

 

 

If the princesses were not released soon, she feared what the Fairy King would do. She had to trust her son to make the right decisions because he was the King. But so far, he hadn’t made the best of choices, and Griselda had kept her tongue. She had  probably  kept silent too long. Some of this might even be her fault. She always had difficulty telling Bog no when he was a child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha... Marianne.... I upped her aggression a wee bit. Bog having to deal with her is so much fun to write, because she's NOT DONE.


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne deals with the knowledge that she has been playing Hide and Seek with the Bog King over the last year.  
> After all these years, Bog breaks open his father's books in search of something he can use and learns something about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is your challenge: I have six chapters left. Give me 10 nice comments and I will give you chapter 36 EARLY, because it's a GREAT GREAT CHAPTER I WANT TO SHARE!

Marianne came to staring up at one of those tremendous spiked amber lights. She blinked, then groaned, realizing where she was. There was a stabbing pain in her side, but she felt better. There were several goblins nearby on one side. To the other, she blinked at what she saw. The Bog King was sitting on a wooden bench, leaning with both hands on his staff, and his eyes closed. Next to him was Dawn, curled up with her head against his side. Marianne blinked. She didn’t  really  see that, was she?

“Dawn?” Marianne whispered.

“Ah, you return to the land of the living.” Bog’s eyes half-opened, and he peered at Marianne. “Are ye still mad enough to spit fire at me?”

Marianne grimaced and stared at him. She wasn’t  nearly  as mad, but the sight of him was still annoying. “No.” She lied through gritted teeth. Then he smiled and began chuckling at her. “What is so funny?”

“I ehm, sorry.” Bog sat up and stretched, waking Dawn in the process. He rolled his shoulders and twitched his wings. “I’m not letting ye up until I’m sure yer not going to try to fight me again. I do not want to fight ye, okay? Ye are free to go whenever ye want, and I will even give ye an escort to make sure ye get out of the dark forest  safely .”

Marianne scowled at the offer. “I came to get my sister and to kill you.”

“Ye had that chance to kill me, and ye didn’t do it.” Bog gave her a lopsided smile. “So I would say that if ye didn’t do it that time, ye aren’t going to do it again, are ye?”

“I’ll  just  wait for the right opportunity.” Marianne narrowed her eyes at Bog, then winced and whimpered.

“Someone please give her something for the pain.” Bog sighed. “Ye should  just  lie down and let it heal more. They said if ye take it easy, ye can get up and walk by evening.”

“Why are you so concerned about me?” Marianne scowled at the ceiling. Twisting over onto her side had hurt, and she didn’t want to feel it again. A goblin stepped up to her and offered her a leaf, holding it over her mouth.

“Eat it. It’ll dull the pain.” Bog got up and towered over Marianne. “It won’t knock ye out or make ye,” He chuckled in amusement. “Giggly.” Marianne groaned in response, twitching, pursed her lips at Bog, then winced. She opened her mouth and let the goblin drop the leaf. Then she chewed on it and tried to avoid gagging at the bitter taste. “If ye will cooperate, I will take ye up to stay with Dawn in a more comfortable room.”

Dawn got up and stood by the bed, slipping her hands over one of Marianne’s hands. Marianne squeezed her hand and looked up at her in concern. “Marianne,  really , it’s okay.” She turned and looked up at Bog. “Could we move her now?”

“No.” Bog shook his head.

“Marianne.” Dawn turned to her sister  seriously . “I am not leaving with you. I want to stay here for now.”

“What kind of brainwashing has he been doing to you?” Marianne scowled at Bog as she said it.

“Actually, he’s been very nice to me.” Dawn giggled, glancing up at Bog.

“Do not tell her.” Bog grimaced and threw his hands up at Dawn, hoping it would stop her.

“Tell me what?” Marianne looked from Dawn to Bog, then back again. “Dawn?”

“You need to think about him in the same way you talked about him when you didn’t know who he was.” Dawn grinned, and a bright blush spread over Marianne’s face.

“Do not tell him!” Marianne gasped, realizing what Dawn was talking about.

“If you promise to be good and not try to drag me out of here, then I won’t, but if you try to do that again and hurt yourself, then I WILL  !” Dawn’s smile took on a threatening air, and Bog  was impressed . He raised his brows at her in surprise. This little fairy could be vicious.

Marianne sighed and grimaced. “Oh, all right.”

-=-=-=-=-=-

While waiting for Marianne to wake up, Bog had his mother order goblins to seal his window exit off of his balcony and change out his bedding  . His room would be a more spacious area for the two fairy girls to stay for a few days. He had several goblins ready to keep watch over the door as well. Bog had also made sure to leave a set of documents he had been working on over the last few weeks on his desk.  They were several different plans he had written down for making some sort of arrangements for negotiations and trade with the Fairy Kingdom  . He had written them before the Sugar Plum Fairy had   been released .

Bog felt it was inevitable that the two fairies would snoop into his things, and it was the easiest way to present his ideas  .  Something written on paper was  probably  easier to take than him, stumbling over his words in this challenging proposal  . Writing was a better way to communicate his ideas. He would not be misunderstood.  Still, he had written out a lot of painful things in those papers, while attempting to not reveal everything wrong in his kingdom  . Bog admitted to the things he had done over the years to the Fairy Kingdom to ask for an end to it.  He felt that admission was a step toward ending it and entering into a better relationship between the two kingdoms  . He   was prepared  to make concessions for peace.

The one thing in all the papers that was the same was requesting Princess Marianne, by name, to be ambassador to the Dark Forest  . The documents held Bog’s intent. He wanted to see what Marianne and Dawn would think when they ran across them.  Bog had even spread the papers out on his desk in such a way that it invited them to    be read    without any need to shuffle through them .

Marianne allowed Bog to carry her again, but she folded her arms and scowled the entire time. She continued scowling when he set her on his  freshly  made bed. Dawn bounced up onto the bed and began making her sister comfortable. Bog immediately left, with promises to send up something to eat.

-=-=-=-=-=-

“When are you going to be ready to leave?” Marianne whispered to her sister as soon as Bog closed the door. “He’s not here, so we can plan now.”

“Oh, Marianne,” Dawn rolled her eyes at her sister, fluffing a moss-filled pillow. “I was serious. I’m not leaving.”

“But why?” Marianne stared at her sister in confusion. “We need to get out of here. Uh, who did your hair?” She reached up and poked one of the flowers. “Your hair wasn’t like that when you  were kidnapped .”

“Marianne, do you remember how much fun you had with your mysterious stalker?” Dawn sat next to Marianne.

“He’s. The. Bog. King.” Marianne hissed through clenched teeth.

“You talked about him every day. You  were disappointed  if you didn’t figure out where he was, or he didn’t show up. You kept talking about him all through the winter.” Dawn smiled. “And you would smile when you talked about the day you caught him. When you talked about his eyes, you smiled more than I’ve ever seen you smile in months.”

“Bog. King.” Marianne scowled, not looking at her sister. “If I hadn’t been weak and had  just  killed him, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. We would be on our way home.”

“Wait, you, you almost killed him?” Dawn’s face fell. Marianne turned to her sister to see her eyes glistening and welling up with tears.

“He surrendered,” Marianne grumbled, picking at the bandage around her waist. As long as she didn’t move, it didn’t hurt. The goblins had even given her a handful of the nasty pain-relieving leaves to eat as she needed them. “I had my sword at his throat. I should have killed him.” Then Dawn began crying. “Why are you crying for him?” Marianne shot her sister a criticizing look. “He kidnapped you! He’s awful!”

“No, he’s not.” Dawn sniffled, wiping away the tears.

“And he’s brainwashed you.” Marianne scowled.

“No, he didn’t.”

“Exactly what a brainwashed person would say.”

“You’re so stubborn about being right, Marianne.” Dawn turned away from her sister. “He likes you.”

“What?”

“Bog. He LIKES you.” Dawn repeated, then she added in her best imitation of Bog, “She is such an amazing and fierce warrior.” She giggled, avoiding adding the things Bog would  probably  not want her to say. “He said that about you, Marianne. He wanted to know all about YOU.”

“Well. I do not like him.” Marianne pouted.

“Boggy also told me that if they don’t find the Sugar Plum Fairy in a week, he’s going to let me go back home.” Dawn smiled.

“So, it’s a bluff?” Marianne wrinkled her nose at that. “Do you  really  think he’s  just  going to let you go?”

“I do.”

“You’re naive. Can you pull the cover over the light so I can sleep. I’m exhausted.” Marianne didn’t want to talk anymore. She was stuck here, for now. She would have to be patient.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne slept for most of the day. Bog did not come to check on them. Instead, he sent his mother to bring them food and make sure they were comfortable. Dawn spent the day  curiously  going over Bog’s room. There were few decorations. There were heavy purple curtains pulled over a small balcony with a sealed window. They couldn’t even see out of it. A fur cloak hung in one corner, along with an assortment of carved staves. The bed was a massive round nest, stuffed with moss and covered with  multiple  soft blankets. It had   been carved  into the existing wood.

Then there was the desk that had  been carved  out of the wall. It ran the length of the wall. There were books, piles of paper, and ink wells set into shallow cubbies. Then Dawn began reading over the documents on the desk. By the time Marianne stirred in the early evening, Dawn had read over  all of  them. One in particular, more than once.

“Still here,” Marianne grumbled, sitting up with effort. She pulled a leaf out of her pocket and chewed on it with a look of disgust.

“Marianne!” Dawn flew over the bed and landed on the other side. She held out the document she had been reading. “You should read this.”

“What is it?” Marianne looked at the paper  suspiciously .

“ Just  read it.” Dawn pushed the paper into Marianne’s hands.

Marianne scowled, going over the document. On the top, in ornate script,  was written  the words, Declaration of Intent. Below it  was written  , Peace Between Our Kingdoms. Marianne skimmed over the contents. It began with a repetition of what the document was. The Bog King wanted to set up an open dialog between the Fairy Kingdom and the Dark Forest to put an end to hostilities.  He mentioned the things that her father had told her that caused most of the tension between their kingdoms  . Bog  apparently  still held them responsible for his father’s death. Then he went on to list the things he had done.  There was an apology for these things, a promise of restitution, and several requests that were all within line of what would    be expected  .  He wanted to meet with the king to discuss terms for trade, allowing fairies and elves into some regions of the dark forest  .  And then the last request was for Princess Marianne to act as an ambassador between their two kingdoms for further talks .

“So, remember how you used to say you would go into the Dark Forest to TALK to the goblins and make peace with them?” Dawn wrapped her arms around her sister’s shoulders and leaned over her shoulder.

“That was a lifetime ago.” Marianne stared at the paper, reading over it again.

“That was a year ago!” Dawn rolled her eyes and hugged her. “He has pretty handwriting. I don’t think I expected a goblin to write like that.”

“Why does he want me to be an ambassador? Dad would never let me do it. You know how he is.”

“Because he likes you,” Dawn whispered. “And  I think  he sees more in you than Dad does. You could do this! You are so smart!”

“And I have a temper that would ruin everything.” Marianne groaned, setting the paper down. “The Bog King is  just  ‘nice’ right now because we’re his prisoners and we’re princesses. I doubt he would tolerate me if it  really  counted.”

“Uh, you didn’t start getting mad and soooo annoying all the time until after the Roland thing.” Dawn pointed out  dramatically , falling back onto a cushion. “You want to push everyone away, especially if they’re a guy!”

Marianne frowned, looking over the words  thoughtfully  . Her sister was right. Being angry all the time was easy. She had done it to keep Roland away, but that hadn’t been working. It had,  however  , ensured that everyone gave her a wide berth when she entered a room. She had kept it up, because she liked it. She didn’t have to deal with other fairies at all. They left her alone. But now, this was an opportunity to do something amazing and it piqued her interests. Marianne had goals she wanted to achieve when she was queen. Among those was to have a life of adventure, exploring the unknown.  Unknown areas like the Dark Forest or the forbidden human lands that bordered their kingdom .

“I’ll think about it. Where did you find this?” Marianne handed the paper back to Dawn. “You should put it back.”

“On his desk.” Dawn fluttered off the bed and set the paper down. “They  were laid  out like he wanted us to see them, so I did! Oh, and he wrote that one last week.”

“Before  all of  this happened.” Marianne sighed,  gingerly  touching the bandage on her hip.

“Are you still mad at him?” Dawn sat in Bog’s chair, her feet dangling a good foot from the floor.

“No,” whispered Marianne. She sighed. “But I don’t trust him.”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Bog had a message sent to the Fairy King to let him know where Marianne was. He stressed that she was not a prisoner and could leave at any time, but Dawn was to remain with him until the week was over. He added that he was no longer looking for the elf and  just  wanted the Sugar Plum Fairy. That would likely help Sunny in his mission.

Then Bog spent the day in his father’s teaching room. Everything  was covered  in dust. He had not come into the room for years, because the ledger books depressed him. Most of his father’s personal items had   been moved  here to store them. Books, there were so many books. And that was what Bog was after. He opened the cabinet that stored his father’s journals and other books that were only meant for his eyes.

There was a row of small personal journals, but those were not what Bog was looking for.  He pulled out larger instruction books, filled with information about their home and the human world . There were books stacked three layers deep, and Bog had a pile of them set out as he emptied the cabinet. A lifetime of information was in these books. It was the books hidden in the back that interested Bog. He pulled out the first one and opened it to find a detailed record of known relics.

Bog settled down on the floor and began reading through it. His father had always told him to read his books, and Bog never had.  Just  looking at them brought up painful feelings of loss. He missed his father, even though he had been gone for so many years. The book held a lot of interesting information in it, but not what Bog was looking for. There were more books to go through. There were three large, thick books bundled together with a strap next to where he had pulled out the relic book.

When Bog unbuckled the strap and opened the cover, he  was met  with a drawing of someone with his own features. It wasn’t him or his father. This person looked far more regal than both of them. He was wearing an ornate crown and it looked like he actually had hair. In his hands, he held the same staff Bog had. The next page read: Beginner’s Guide to Magic.

Bog began flipping pages, skimming through them with growing excitement. The book was a school book of some sort, and it was for HIM! Bog swore to himself over why he had never come in here and looked at the books. His father had told him he would find answers in them.  The book’s pages even went over the very things that the Sugar Plum Fairy had told him about what he could do, only it had more . So much more.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Griselda was busy laying out food on the dining room table when Bog entered the room. He had several books in his hands and stopped in the doorway. It looked like spring had exploded all over the room. Bog’s jaw dropped open. There were flowers all over the place, and among them were his mother’s favorite decorations. Hearts. Red hearts everywhere. There were bright red ribbons and streamers all around the room.

“Mother.” Bog began.

“Good evening, Bog, why don’t you go and invite the girls down for dinner here instead of taking food up to them.  Maybe  make them feel less like prisoners.” She emphasized the last word with a hiss and narrowing of her eyes. Bog shut his mouth and scowled. He set the books aside on a side table and passed through the dining room. He would deal with the ridiculous decorations later.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Bog nodded to the guards standing at the sides of the door to his room. “Take a break and be back in an hour.” The pair bowed and immediately set off down the hall. Bog stood in front of the door, his eyes closed for a moment. He was going to take a chance with something he had learned and hoped it would be a sign of goodwill to Marianne. He loved her fire and stubbornness, even if he avoided using that word. But he did not like that she was so angry with him.

He knocked to be polite, then pushed the door open and walked inside. “Good evening, Princess Marianne. Princess Dawn.” And he bowed to them.

“Stop that.” Marianne rolled her eyes while Dawn giggled. “We’re your prisoners. You don’t bow to prisoners.”

“You are not my prisoner, Marianne.” Bog stood up and walked closer, leaning on his staff. “I told ye that ye can leave when ye want, and I am going to make it possible for ye to go on yer own.”

“And you’re going to let Dawn go at the end of the week, whether we find the Sugar Plum Fairy or not?” Marianne folded her arms and fixed him with a stern look.

Bog turned his head, staring off to the side. “I never said I would do anything to Dawn when I set my terms. I  just  gave yer father until the end of the week.”

“So, I can  just  go home and tell him that, and we don’t have to do anything?” Marianne stated. “You’re  just  going to let her go anyway? Why should we turn over one of our subjects, which you, by the way,  falsely  imprisoned.”

“ Falsely ?” Bog drew himself up and rattled his wings in a brief surge of anger. “She is a creature that sows chaos and disorder wherever she goes!” Then he caught himself and scowled. “I will hunt her down myself, and if it takes me into the fairylands, so be it.”

“So, those documents on your desk are meaningless?” Marianne gestured to his desk. Bog followed the motion, grinding his teeth together. She had a point. He was going to have to make a decision about what he wanted more. Recapturing the Sugar Plum Fairy or being near Marianne.

“Very well. I will not enter the Fairylands.” Bog conceded, “But in my Kingdom, she is mine.”

“Fair enough.” Marianne nodded. All the Sugar Plum Fairy had to do was avoid coming anywhere near Bog’s kingdom. Marianne could pass that information along, and this would no longer be a problem.

“Now, Princess, I would like to try something as a show of good faith.” Bog leaned down to be eye to eye with Marianne. “I want to heal your injury.”

“I don’t want to stay here that long.” Marianne rolled her eyes.

“No, not wait for it to heal. Heal it immediately.” Bog stated  gently  , holding out a hand. Marianne looked at his gnarled rough hand and the jagged nails. She wasn’t sure what to think of the offer. Could he do that kind of magic?  Very few among her people could do more than a few tricks, and without the Sugar Plum Fairy to train them, the ones that could do more were even rarer . If he could do it, then she would be out of here faster. She could get Dawn out of here.

Marianne made a face, then decided. “Okay.” It was worth the risk.

Bog laid his hand  fully  over Marianne’s hip while she watched. He closed his eyes and looked like he was concentrating. Then a soft golden glow illuminated the area around his hand.  Marianne felt warmth flood through her side, and the minor pain she was experiencing faded . Then he put his hand on the shoulder he had bruised two evenings before. A quick touch and the tenderness was gone, along with the bruising. Marianne blinked at him, looking at her shoulder. She rolled her shoulder, testing it. Then she tore at the bandage over her waist.

The deep gash was gone, but she still had the stitches embedded around where it should have been. “We’ll get ye down to take those out.” Bog smiled, pleased with himself. Dawn giggled her hands over her mouth at how amazing what she had seen was.

Marianne blinked in astonishment, running her fingers over her hip. There wouldn’t even be a scar. This was astonishing. She looked up at Bog and smiled  sheepishly . “Thank you.”

“Now, Princess, would the two of ye like to join my mother and me for dinner?” Bog bowed and held his hand out to Marianne. She slid off the bed next to Bog, ignoring the gesture. Bog shifted to offer the assistance to Dawn, who  readily  took his hand and accepted it.  Marianne glared at her little sister over her shoulder, then she noticed that Bog was wearing her sword belt strapped around his hips, with her sword on his left  . She was on his right, but she could  easily  grab it if she wanted to. “Don’t even think about it, Princess.” Bog scowled at her. “I’m holding onto it for safekeeping, so ye don’t try to kill me again. I will return it when ye leave. “

“I would be more comfortable if you let me have it now.” Marianne smiled, that same challenging smile she kept giving him. She was daring him to trust her while being menacing about it at the same time. Bog found it disconcerting. It was going to take time for her to get a point where he could trust her in the least. It was disconcerting, exciting, and a challenge Bog took  happily  .  His life was  considerably  more exciting right now, even if Marianne seemed to hate everything about him  . After all, he didn’t need her to love him. He  just  wanted to be near her.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne followed, taking Dawn’s hand as they walked. Her sister cast her an annoyed look, then bounced alongside her. The dining room table was set up with food in the middle and benches all around it. Griselda had set places for the everyone on one side. Bog walked by the table, picked up a plate, a goblet, and the bottle of wine that sat in the center. He went to the opposite end of the table.

“He’s not your friend.” Marianne whispered to Dawn, sitting next to her at the other end. Griselda busied herself, offering them a variety of food. There were a lot of berries and other edible plants along with a few pastries for the fairies. There was also a plate with some sort of meat on it, which Bog was  silently  helping himself to. It smelled like fish, which was a  perfectly  acceptable thing for fairies to eat as well.

Bog poured himself a drink and waited for the fairies and his mother to finish filling their plates.  Marianne picked up and took a bite of one of the pastries while her sister was at her side, whispering at her to mind her manners  . Marianne kept eating. It was actually good food and not something she had ever tasted before. It   was stuffed  full of some kind of hot spiced fruit.

“To a good future.” Bog smiled, lifting his goblet. His mother and Dawn raised their own, but Marianne ignored the gesture. Dinner went by in silence. Dawn had Griselda on one side and Marianne on the other. Marianne stewed, thinking through what she was doing. She picked at the rest of her food. She was hungry, but she didn’t want to give Bog the satisfaction of seeing her enjoy any of it.

Marianne had a lot of conflicting thoughts about the previous day’s events and the tall goblin watching her  . She caught his eyes on her throughout dinner. He tried to look like she didn’t have his attention, but she met those beautiful gleaming eyes  repeatedly  . They were stunning, and she liked looking at them, which was not what she wanted to like at all.  Eventually , Marianne’s eyes settled on her plate and the fruity juice in her goblet.

So, this was the Bog King? At the moment, he wasn’t frightening or scary in the least. Bog sat  quietly  , minding his own business for the most part. He liked her? What did that even mean? When Dawn had said it, she had felt odd and conflicted. Someone LIKED her? Well, it was  just  because he didn’t know her. He’d hate her soon enough,  just  like everyone else. She would see to that. He had watched her out on her rock for over a year, and she knew he was watching. Sometimes, she knew exactly where he was and let him watch.

Marianne had shown off in front of him on those days, working out her moves under eyes she felt appreciated her effort . That’s why it felt so weird now. Here was the mighty King of the Goblins, a king with a record of being cruel and merciless. He had run from her. Right now, he was not bold or aggressive. He was keeping his distance and being respectful.

The words he had spoken when Marianne managed to corner him in the tree rang through her mind in his now clear and beautiful voice . “Yer … amazing.” He had whispered. “Beautiful. Elegant. Fierce. Strong.” That is what he thought of her. And how had she responded? With the same thing she snapped at any male who looked her way. Go away. Get away from me. I don’t want anyone! I don’t need anyone!

A light flush fell over Marianne’s face as she looked across the table and studied him. A tiny bit of emotion welled up within her, and she pushed it down. She did not like him. He had kidnapped her sister.  The look on his face as he pushed the remains of fish around on his plate, doing the same thing she was doing, was unreadable . His eyes flicked upward, under his brows, and he looked at her again. His mouth shifted into the saddest look she had ever seen on anyone in her life, then he looked down again.

The sadness crept into Marianne, hitting her hard. She tried to push it away, but she couldn’t. She went back to what her father told her and what she read in the document Dawn had shown her. Was she being too hard on him? He could have killed her when they fought. That fact wasn’t lost on her. He was a better warrior. He knew her every move. He had held back? He had held back. Marianne felt foolish and full of conflict. She sat for a moment longer, then watched as Bog poured a second goblet of the wine he had taken to his side of the table.

“What is that you’re drinking, Bog King?” Marianne sat up and smiled, folding her arms on the tabletop.

“Honey mead.” Bog raised an eyebrow at her.

“Could I have some?”

Bog leaned back on the bench, looking from the bottle of mead to Marianne. He made a face at her, “I don’t know if I want tipsy fairies in my castle. Why would ye want to be even a little off yer guard?”

“Well, you’re drinking it.” Marianne pointed out. “So it can’t be that strong.”

Bog made a face at her. “I’m only having two goblets full, and that is enough.” Then he added something under his breath that sounded  suspiciously  like, “And my mom won’t let me.”

Marianne got up, picked up an empty goblet from the middle of the table, and walked to the end of the table. She put the goblet down and sat on the bench on the side. Bog stared at her for a moment, then he picked up the bottle and filled the goblet with mead.

“Marianne doesn’t drink,” Dawn whispered with concern to Griselda. “Ever.” Griselda nodded, and both of them turned their attention to the other end of the table.

Marianne tipped the goblet to take a sip. It was sweet. She had never had honey mead, even though it was one of the drinks that were often offered in later evening parties. Losing control of yourself by drinking too much was never appealing.   Right now, she  just  wanted something to get rid of her nervousness and  maybe  relax her enough to be more sociable . Not too sociable, but enough.

Bog watched her  curiously  . “Well? How do ye like it? One of the things we have an  abundance  of in the dark forest is beehives. Honey tends to be what gets us through the winter nowadays. Better than carrion.” Bog made a face.

Marianne drank more of the mead and made a face back at Bog. “You  seriously  eat carrion?”

“Not if I can avoid it.” Bog look disgusted. “Other goblins do. We make use of everything we find. We don’t exactly have fields to grow wheat in or goblins who are good at that kind of thing. They aren’t farmers.”

“But we have elves who do that.” Marianne mused. “What are things that the Dark Forest offers that we can’t get in the Fairylands? Honey is  honestly  a big one.”

“Amber. We have amber in large quantities, and we also have pockets of hot springs beneath large areas of the forest.” Bog smiled, going through a mental tally of the things that he knew they had. “We have many herbs and edible plants that do not grow in the Fairylands. “Medicinal herbs. We could exchange that knowledge.”

“I know we have a lot of healers who would  be interested  in that, as well as the amber. What do you use the hot springs for?” Marianne took a sip every few words, feeling the warm liquid immediately making her more at ease. It wasn’t ideal, but it also took her nervousness away. He made her nervous, and it wasn’t because she was afraid of him. She wasn’t. He  really  wasn’t that scary at all.  The more she was around him, the less fearsome his appearance was, especially when he wasn’t acting in a way meant to be scary .

“I will show ye later if ye would like.  Mostly  we use it for heating the castle and keeping us warm through the winter.  We have a few more ingenious goblins who are working on harnessing the energy to do things with it like power machines and supply heat more  efficiently  .” Bog was more than happy to go through the technical aspects. “There are some pools which are also very nice for bathing or  just  relaxing.” Marianne glanced at her wings, and Bog realized that  probably  wasn’t an attractive thing to a fairy. Their wings would soak up the water and take forever to dry. “I’m sure there’s a way ye could enjoy it without getting yer wings wet.” He offered.

“I’d like to try that,” Dawn whispered to Griselda. The two of them were so quiet that Bog and Marianne almost forgot they were there. The pair of them went silent, looking down at the goblets in front of them with a faint blush rising up on their cheeks.

“Shhh, dear, I’ll take you down there later. It’s fun.” Griselda whispered. Then the two went back to pretending to eat while watching Bog and Marianne.

“You will have to come to castle rock with me,” Marianne stated. “We should go in the morning and get this over with. We can take Dawn home and then discuss your treaty.”

Bog  slowly  lifted his head to scowl at Marianne, “I made terms for Dawn’s return. The time is not up yet. I want the Sugar Plum Fairy back in my dungeon. Forever.”

“Why are you so fixated on her? What did she do to you?” Marianne scowled, emptying the goblet. Bog ground his jaw, picking up the bottle to refill Marianne’s goblet.

“We are not discussing that. I have my reasons. That’s all ye need to know.”

“Oh no, I want to know.” Marianne sipped from the goblet. “What did she do to you? Everything I’ve ever heard about her said she was a good person and you took her to steal our best magic teacher. I see you know how to use magic, and there are very few of us who can do that.”

“I can, but it frightens goblins, so please do not mention it.” Bog whispered. “Stop talking about it.”

“You do magic!” Marianne announced.

“Stop it!” Bog lifted his hands to shush her. He leaned close to her, scowling. “Ye don’t understand goblin ways, Lass. Please do not say it again.”

Marianne opened her mouth like she was going to yell. Bog scowled at her but didn’t make any moves to stop her. She closed her mouth and smiled at him. Bog returned the smile with a thin-lipped frown. She lifted the goblet and emptied it, then pushed it toward him to refill it.

“Two. We stop at two.” Bog grumbled, pushing the bottle further away from her.

“You can stop at two. I would like another. I can handle it.” Marianne gave him a sweet smile, tilting her head and leaning her chin on her hand.

“No.” Bog got up, taking the bottle with him. He left the room. Marianne grinned after him, taking his goblet and swapping it for her own.  It was a silly move, considering the the goblet he had was twice as big as the one she had been drinking from and far more ornate . She tipped it and enjoyed the sweet liquid that sent a gentle warmth through her body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While it's never outright said, it is clear in the movie that Marianne is NEVER Bog's prisoner, specifically when Roland intends to take BOTH of them. It's one of Bog's most shining moments in my mind.  
> Marianne is a rude and belligerant guest. :D


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oooh... political intrigue... I think.. I'm not good with stuff, I just write down what they do.  
> Bog takes his new 'love' out for a flight around his kingdom.

Bog scowled, putting the bottle of mead away. What was she doing? It didn’t seem like a wise move on her part to be drinking something that would leave her the least bit inebriated. The last thing he wanted was a tipsy fairy who wanted to kill him wandering around in his castle, or in the forest. She might attempt to leave and she needed a couple of hours for it to get out of her system. Bog  was baffled . This didn’t make sense.

“Uh,” Bog re-entered the dining room to see Marianne leaning with one elbow on the table, drinking from his goblet  .  He looked down to the other end of the table, where his mother and Dawn were watching them with huge smiles plastered on their faces . “Marianne. Are ye intending on spending the night here or are ye wanting to go home soon?”

“Oh, I did say we could leave in the morning.  All of  us.” She was smiling and her eyes were half open. “This is  really  good. Why haven’t I been drinking this?”

Bog stood by Marianne, fidgeting with his fingers. He wasn’t sure what to do with her. He felt  perfectly  fine, but she was less than half his size and was at this point, consuming more than he had. He glanced at his mother, motioning to Marianne and gesturing for help. Griselda smiled and waved at him.

“Dawn, if you’re done, I can take you down to the pools if you would like to get cleaned up.” Griselda turned to her and offered with a smile.

“That sounds like fun.” Marianne started to get up, wobbled, and sat back down. The goblet she was still holding sloshed a little liquid out. Bog reached for it, only to have Marianne grip it in both hands and glare at him. “This is mine now.” She gave him a mischievous look. Bog stood back, still unsure.

“ Perhaps  ye should leave that here if ye want to go down with Dawn.” Bog suggested.

“Oh no, you and I need to have a private conversation about you and I.” Marianne smiled up at him. “There is no you and I, by the way.” Her smile widened. “No matter how many nice things you say to me.”

“Uh. Okay?” Bog watched as his mother and Dawn got up and left the room. “I will  just , uh.” He looked around, then shifted from the head of the table to the opposite side. He sat down and folded his arms in front of him to sit and see what Marianne was going to do next. “I will sit over here.”

“You like me.” Marianne frowned at him. “How in the world can you like me?”

Bog hung his head, lifting a clawed hand to run up the back of his neck.  He was alone with Marianne and every single little fantasy he had was completely obliterated  . He couldn’t even think of anything to say. Looking at her  just  made his mind blank. She was so beautiful and enchanting, even when she was being annoying.

“Now that you’ve healed me, want to go again?” Marianne tipped the goblet up. “This time, don’t hold back.”

“No.” Bog shook his head. “I am not going to fight ye.”

“Why not?”

“Well, for starters, ye have had too much to drink too fast and ye would get hurt.” Bog scowled.

“I’m not that bad.” Marianne laughed.

“Ok, then, Tough Girl, get up and walk.” Bog smirked, putting his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his palm. He tapped his cheek. “I’m waiting.”

Marianne scowled and spread her wings to help her balance. She tried to stand up, wobbled and sat back down again. She chewed on her lower lip with determination and tried it again. Bog reached across the table and grabbed his goblet. “Hey!” Marianne grabbed for it and fell across the table.

“I don’t think so.”  Bog smiled, looking over the top of his goblet, then he downed the remaining contents to make sure Marianne wouldn’t have any more . He licked his lips and plunked it down hard on the table. “Now, I am going to walk ye back up to yer room and lock ye in.”

“I’d like to see you try.” Marianne finally got to her feet and was bracing herself against the table. She twitched her wings, attempting to keep her balance.

Bog got up and walked around the side of the table. Marianne turned and lifted both hands in fists to fight him off. She tipped to one side and Bog grabbed her around the waist. He  effortlessly  threw her over his left shoulder and began walking.

“Put me down!” Marianne screamed. Then she smiled and flared her wings out to throw Bog off balance. That’s when he realized he had made an error. Marianne grabbed the sword belt with one hand, pulling it up so that the hilt of her sword was within reach. She grabbed it and jerked it free. Bog let her go and she flipped to land on her feet. She whirled around at the same time he did, thrusting the sword out to hit his staff.

“AGAIN?!” Bog roared at her. “Didn’t ye have enough the first time?”

“Let my sister go!” Marianne glared over her sword, then Bog scowled at her, stood up and stamped his staff on the floor.

“Go ahead, Love.” He tilted his head and gave her a daring leer. He held out his hand and stood there, an open target.

“Now is no time for endearments!” Marianne took a step closer, holding the sword to his exposed neck.

“Who said it’s a term of endearment?”  Bog smiled in an irritating manner, secure in the fact that she had already had this opportunity and hadn’t taken it  . If she didn’t do it then, she would not do it now. “Love is chaos. It  is uncontrolled  , destructive, and completely unpredictable.  Therefore , ye are Love and I will call ye that ta remind me NOT TO TRUST YE!” He yelled the last few words, then smiled, holding his ground.

Marianne scowled at him, completely taken off guard. They stood for a minute, then Bog held out his hand for the sword. Marianne narrowed her eyes at him, then handed it over. He put it back in the sword belt.

“I will give it back to ye when ye leave. Now, do ye want to see the hot springs, or would ye like to stretch yer wings.” Bog offered. “I have not been outside of the castle all day.”

“Flying sounds good,but, uh, I’ve never flown when it was so dark out.” Marianne sighed.

“The moon is bright. It won’t be a problem.” Bog smiled. “Try something new, Princess.” He turned and led the way to his throne room and out the broken skylight. Marianne followed, flying up after him.

She landed next to the skylight and frowned, looking at the damage she had done. Bog hovered nearby, waiting for her. Now this, this was something he had envisioned. “Come with me.” He stated  encouragingly , gesturing with his staff. “I have something to show ye.”

Marianne closed her eyes, then took a breath and opened them. She flexed her wings and flew after him. He zipped ahead, leading her up into one of the tall trees that towered near the castle.  Marianne followed as he twisted and turned through the branches until he had broken through to the top of tree .

Bog stopped at a branch that jutted out above the foliage. They were so high up, the could see the moon and stars  clearly  overhead with a sea of trees around them. Marianne hesitated  just  below him. Fairies did not  fly  above the trees. Flying above them left them open to predators. Marianne looked up at Bog,  worriedly .

“Come on, Princess.” Bog laughed,  boldly  walking across the branch and holding out a hand. “There is nothing to fear here. Remember, I am the King.” Marianne scowled and burst out of the treetop. She landed on the branch next to Bog. It bounced beneath them and Marianne fought a moment of panic. There were bats and owls within sight in the night sky. She stepped closer to Bog, keeping her wings half extended and prepared to dive back down into the trees.

“They’re hunting.” Bog extended his staff out to the bats flying and diving in and out of the nearby trees.

“That’s what worries me.” Marianne shivered, rubbing her arms.

“Are ye afraid?” Bog gave her a lopsided smile. “Would ye like to see them up close?”

“No.” Marianne shook her head.

Bog put his fingers in his mouth and whistled  shrilly  . A large bat broke from the colony and flew to them. Marianne made a startled noise and dove behind Bog as the bat landed on a nearby branch. It was  easily  four times their size. Bog laughed and grabbed Mariane’s hand. “What’s wrong, Tough Girl? Show me yer not afraid.”

“Oh, no, no, no!” Marianne shivered and pulled away. Bats were dangerous to fairies. She had heard horror stories since she was a child that they ate fairies. Bog flew down to the bat and was talking to it. It was chirping at him and flicking its rounded ears.

“Come now. Ye act brave, but it looks like it’s all an act.” Bog began taunting her. “Marianne, Love, show me how brave ye are and I’ll show ye the stars like ye’ve never seen them!” He fluttered up onto the bat’s back and waved to her. “Well?”

Marianne clenched her hands at her sides. Her heart was racing in terror, yet, the fact that Bog was not afraid helped. She flew to him, ready to dart away at any moment. She dropped onto the bat’s back and slid down to sit behind Bog. He had both hands gripping a strip of leather that  was wrapped  around the bat’s chest. The bat had a crude saddle made up of criss crossing strips of leather over its back.

“Hold on.” Bog grinned back at Marianne. He wedged his staff into the netting so it wouldn’t fall out, then made a clicking noise at the bat. “This is Tirid. He is a scouting bat.” The bat spread his wings  suddenly  and with a snap, they were in the air. Marianne squealed despite herself, her arms wrapped  tightly  around Bog.  She squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered, pressing herself against his back, between his wings

Marianne could feel the bat climbing  rapidly  in the air. Every sweep of the creature’s wings sent a rush of air over them. She could hear Bog’s heart racing and his body vibrated with laughter. “Open yer eyes, Love.” He encouraged Marianne as the bat leveled off and began gliding. “Ye don’t want to miss this. I haven’t done it in years!”

The air was cool around them. Marianne  slowly  opened her eyes, still clutching Bog. Her wings fluttered  loosely  behind her and she had the sense of being vulnerable. There were lights in the distance and the dim outline of the forest far below. Marianne tried to catch her breath, but the view was  overwhelmingly  terrifying. Still. Bog wasn’t afraid.

“Those lights are human towns.” Bog motioned to dazzling lights in the distance. Marianne looked and marveled at them. She had never given thought to  just  how many humans there were in the world. Humans were a rarity in the Fairylands and she had never seen one.

“Have you seen them?” Marianne ventured  curiously , getting a little more courage to look. She didn’t want to continue gripping Bog, but she didn’t want to let go either.

“I have.” Bog smirked. “They are a lot like fairies. Wingless fairies,  just  bigger.”

“You’ve been outside the forest?” Marianne  was surprised by  this.

“Yes.” Bog pointed to a clearing and Marianne realized she was looking down at her home. It was a gleaming rock out in the middle of a clearing. From so high up, it looked tiny. She could see the scattering of elf towns, their fields, the streams, and the trees that dotted their land. “Would ye like to go home? We can have ye there in minutes.” He clicked and the bat tilted sideways. Marianne cringed against Bog, tightening her grip on him.

“No. I want to go back with you.” Marianne whispered. The bat circled, then headed to the Dark forest. After a few minutes, it swooped down in an opening and landed on a large branch. Marianne let Bog go the moment the bat landed. The pair slid off to the branch and Marianne almost fell when she tried to land. Bog was quick enough to grab her wrist. He pulled her up to the branch, then wrapped an arm around her waist to keep her steady. Marianne  was embarrassed  that she was having a difficult time standing. Her legs felt like jelly and she was shaking all over. Bog ran a hand over the bat’s neck and it chirped at him. Then it took off, swooping off the branch and vanishing into the dark sky. Bog stood for a moment, waiting for Marianne to relax.

“Well, what did ye think?” Bog smiled  pleasantly  at her.

“That was amazing!” Marianne gasped, looking up at Bog. She laughed and  nervously  ran a hand through her hair. She felt his fingers flex against her side, then he removed his hand.

“Come with me!” Bog stepped off the branch and dropped. He flew through the trees and Marianne followed.  There were lightning bugs all around them, glowing and flickering from the ground all the way up to the trees  .  It was   absolutely  magical and Marianne was so distracted she almost flew into low hanging limbs on several occasions .

Bog dropped down into a small ravine and flew up to a large dead tree stump. Marianne landed behind him. He smiled and used his staff to move away a branch that obscured an opening where the old trunk met the ground. A glow emanated from the opening.

Marianne stepped forward to investigate and was in awe of what was inside. She flew through the opening and Bog followed. He had never shown anyone his practice cave. Now, Marianne was hovering around the strands, looking at them in fascination. Bog felt a sense of pride, seeing her smiling face as she began tapping the dewdrops. They chimed! Bog had never realized they made noise until she began touching them. Her wings brushed against them and they made a melodic sound.

“Why are you keeping these in a cave?” Marianne asked. “You know what. These would be amazing to see hanging from a tree and then the wind could make music.”

Bog smiled at the suggestion, then he flew up to the top of the cave. He severed the strand at the anchor and dropped down to offer it to Marianne. “Yer idea, so why don’t ye help me move them.”

“Okay.” Marianne took the strand and dipped when Bog let go. They weren’t too heavy. She recovered and flew to the opening, carrying the strand with her while Bog went to get one of his own.

-=-=-=-=--

Sunny had managed to move throughout the Fairylands undetected during the evening. He had waited in the dark forest until he could move in under the cover of darkness. He had a good idea of where the books he needed to go through were. He had been all over the castle many times with Dawn, exploring every inch of it for things to get into. One of those areas had been the royal library. There was a section filled with ancient books on magic that  were stored  in glass cases. The majority of fairies and elves did not have any sort of magical ability. These books   were stored  for those that did. Since they were so rarely used, they were also not guarded.

The castle was easy to get into. Fairies didn’t pay attention to elves. Sunny ended up in the library and had been going through the books up on the third floor for several hours.  He had two books that had spells for capturing magical creatures, but none of them were the exact spell the Bog King had asked for  .  He was going through another book that looked promising when he heard the heavy wooden doors at the front of the library open and close . Then Sunny heard voices, very familiar voices. Sunny set his book down and closed the lid on the lantern he was using to look over the books.

“I don’t know about this, Commander Davins.” The Fairy King’s voice echoed off the walls. “The Bog King would not risk an invasion by harming my daughters.”

“We don’t know what he’s capable of, do we? That monster has terrorized the border village for years. He has no remorse and no conscience.” Commander Davin’s stated  enthusiastically . “We should prepare our army for an invasion.”

“I could lead a force in to distract the Bog King.” Roland volunteered. “ Just  let me choose them and  perhaps  we can get Princess Marianne and Dawn out before he harms them at the end of the week.”

“The message stated that Marianne is not a prisoner. She could return at any time.” Sunny heard paper rustling as the Fairy King spoke.

“Most likely that is a lie.” There was Commander Davins again. Sunny whimpered. This was all his fault! He could be lying in his bed right now, dreaming about Dawn, but no, he had let himself  be used   to   possibly   start a war. People would die. The Bog King was terrifying, but Sunny didn’t want to  be involved  in anyone dying. Good people didn’t start wars and Sunny had always thought of himself as a good person. He had to get these books to the Bog King. Sunny put the books into his backpack, still listening to the conversation.

“We will continue looking for the Sugar Plum Fairy and try to convince her to turn herself in.” King Dagda sighed. “If we are unable to make any progress, we will go with your plan. We can not show the Bog King that we are preparing for an invasion. Keep the troops scattered.” The doors opened and Sunny heard the king leave.  He remained where he was in silence, waiting to make sure that Commander Davins and his son were also leaving .

“You know what to do, Son.” Commander Davins could  be heard  addressing Roland. “The old fool will never see you coming and once we have his sword, I will be King. Princess Marianne will   be forced  to marry you. With the Bog King out of the way, we can both have a Kingdom and I will take Princess Dawn for my wife.”

"Yes, sir.” Roland replied. The pair of them laughed, then the doors opened again.

Sunny didn’t want to believe what heheard. He began breathing hard, his heart racing. This kind of information was the kind of thing that could get him killed. He was safer in the Bog King’s castle than in the Fairylands. He had to get out of here and tell Marianne what he had heard. She could do something about it. But first, he had to get out of the castle and back to the Dark Forest. The books he had should be close enough to what the Bog King wanted. He had to take the chance.

-=-=-=-=--

Bog was having a fantastic evening. Strands of beads  were draped  around the limbs of a nearby tree.  The branches glowed and every gentle breeze made the dewdrops move and roll against each other  . They made beautiful chiming sounds that brought a constant smile to Marianne’s face. When Marianne smiled, Bog had to do the same. His face was beginning to hurt, but he didn’t care. Bog could not recall the last time he had felt this happy.  They flitted around the branches, adjusting the strands so they wouldn’t get tangled up, then Marianne sat down on one of the branches to admire their handiwork . Bog landed on the branch next to her, then he decided to sit next to her.

“Where did they come from?” Marianne gestured to the dewdrops.

“I made them,” replied Bog  proudly .

“With magic?”

“Yes,” nodded Bog. He held out his hands and formed a perfect dew drop, like he had done thousands of times before. With a smile, he handed it to Marianne. She took it in her hands and rolled it in her palm, then ran her long fingers over the surface.

“It’s beautiful.” Marianne whispered. “Can you do other shapes or colors?”

“I’ve never tried.” Bog closed his eyes for a moment, then held out his hands creating an orb. “I guess I can.” He handed it to Marianne. Then, Bog attempted something far more complex. He made a small golden star. He stared at for a moment. Why had it never occurred to him to try something new?

Marianne laughed, reaching out to take the star. She jumped off the limb and flew up against the trunk of the tree.  With care, Marianne pressed the glowing items into the trunk, wedging them into the bark, then she hovered back to admire her work . Bog flew up behind her and held out another star.

Soon, the trunk of the tree  was covered  in glowing stars of a variety of shapes and sizes. Marianne flew around it, dancing in the air with excitement. She twirled and looped around the strands, delighted with all the sound and color around her. Bog sat on a lower branch where he could watch her.

So beautiful. She was so beautiful. Her wings were lit up with the glow from the orbs and the moon overhead. Bog could sit and  just  watch her for hours. This was even better than when she was practicing her swordplay. Marianne looked happier than he had ever seen her. Her laughter made him feel warm inside, because he knew he had made her happy. Bog sighed, leaning against his staff, a goofy smile plastered on his face.

Marianne  suddenly  dropped onto the branch beside Bog. She reached out and grabbed Bog’s arm. “Come on,  fly  with me!”

“I’m afraid I don’t know how to dance like a fairy.” Bog looked down at her hand on his arm.

“Then follow me!” Marianne smiled at him, her face pink from all the flying. “I came with you on the bat, now you follow me.”

“I will look foolish.” Bog frowned, but got up at her urging. He snapped his wings out behind him.  Marianne fluttered up, and when she did, she dragged her fingers up the inside of his arm, where there wasn’t any armor, sending a thrilling shiver through his body .

“Come on, Bog King. Are ye afraid?”  Marianne smiled, floating past Bog and repeating the same words he had mocked her with earlier . “What’s wrong, Big Guy? Show me yer not afraid!” She looped around him, mimicking his voice down to his light accent. Bog narrowed his eyes, giving her a lopsided smile.

“Ah, hah!” Bog leapt off the branch and lunged at Marianne. She was gone in a flash of blue and purple. The dance wasn’t so much of a dance as it was a wild chase through the limbs of the tree. The pair of them danced across the limbs and in the air, spinning and twirling in their chase. Marianne was faster than she looked, but Bog was also holding back. He enjoyed the thrill of the pursuit too much to ruin it by catching her. As long as Bog didn’t catch her, the game would continue and Bog never wanted this night to end.

But,  eventually  , the game had to end. Marianne stopped   suddenly  in midair, hovering.  Bog ran into her and wrapped his arms around her as she folded her wings instinctively to keep them from getting mangled  . Bog   was startled  to have her in his arms and she froze, unsure of what to do. She was out of breath and tired. Bog’s inadvertent embrace was warm and comforting, but only for a moment. No. No. She wasn’t going to allow this.

“Let. Go.” Marianne whispered. Bog immediately opened his arms, releasing her. Marianne dropped down onto a branch, while Bog hovered where he was. He could see she  was done  with him. His shoulders drooped and he considered leaving her where she was. Bog could return home. She could  fly  back to the Fairy Kingdom.

Bog cleared his throat, hovering back a few wing beats, “I’m returning to my castle now. Ye should do the same.”

Marianne stared at her feet, gathering her thoughts. “Okay.” She jumped off the branch and flew up to join Bog. “Lead the way.”

“Ye are coming back with me?” Bog didn’t hide his surprise.

“You have my sister,” scowled Marianne.

“Yes.” Bog turned away from her and began flying back to the castle.

-=-=-=-=--

The return trip was in complete silence. Bog  was confused . They were having fun, then she shut down. He had her in his arms for a brief moment and it had felt so good. It lit something strange inside him that he had never felt before. Bog wondered what it would be like to have this beautiful fairy in his arms and for a brief moment, he had her. In that tiny fragment of time the notion he needed her crept into his thoughts.

Bog wanted to hold her again. That’s all he could think of. Marianne’s petite form held  safely  in his arms, her warmth against him. His thoughts drifted, and he heard Marianne yell his name. Bog scowled, turning his head to look back at her, wondering what he had done now.

A tree limb caught him in the chest and he flipped over it with a pained cry. Bog went down, crashing through several limbs before he came to rest in a pile of leaves. His flower crown ended up landing nearby.

Marianne flew down to land next to Bog. She hesitated, then leaned down next to him. “Are you okay?” She moved the leaves that had fallen over him and gasped. Bog scowled, sitting up and looking down at his chest. A branch caught on his already damaged armor and ripped it further. Worse, blood was flowing out of the opening where it had cut into the weaker skin beneath.

“I’m fine.” Bog pressed his hand over the wound.  He concentrated on it, took a sharp breath, then the same golden healing light that had taken care of Marianne’s injuries coursed over his chest . Marianne grabbed his hand, peering at the pale skin showing beneath his armor.

“That is amazing.” Marianne breathed in  slowly , looking from the blood still dripping down his chest plate to Bog’s face. “You should be more careful.”

Bog scowled at her, then he nodded. “Let’s get back to the castle. I’m starving.” Marianne rocked back into a seated position. Bog rose to his feet and looked down at her. He held out his hand. Marianne looked at his hand for a moment, then she took it and allowed him to help her up. “I hope ye had a good evening, Love.” Bog murmured. Marianne blushed. She pulled her hand from his and took to the air. Bog retrieved his flower crown and placed it  neatly  back on his head. That’s where it belonged. Then he flew past Marianne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I wrote this chapter, I realized that in the movie, Roland says he will be Marianne's adventure, while Bog TAKES her on an adventure with him, rather than locking her away in a castle where she'll be safe.
> 
> Also, revisted calling Marianne Love because she represent chaos and Bog SO LOVES HER, even right now. 
> 
> Also, hehe... fake drunk Marianne is great.


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne has a lot to think about. Bog's either lying or he's being truthful about everything and she's not certain which one it is. She wants to believe he is who she thinks he is, but who is that really?

Dawn ran her hands down her dress, smoothing it over her body.  Her skin was still flushed with pink after enjoying a hot soak in one of the goblin’s bathing pools.  She could swear her skin was even glowing from the natural minerals Griselda had explained were in them.

  
Griselda and Dawn talked the entire time Bog and Marianne were gone.  Starting in the hot springs, they discussed the plan.  Dawn told Griselda everything she could about Marianne.  From how she was before her relationship with Roland to the betrayal, and then the year after.  Then she got to the interesting parts about Marianne and Bog spying on her and how she had looked when telling Dawn about it.

  
The conversation warmed Griselda’s heart, and she began sharing everything she could about Bog.  She wanted to lay out everything so the pair of them could figure out a way to help Marianne and Bog give love another chance.  The couple of them ended up in the small living area in front of the fireplace.  They were still discussing Bog and Marianne when they returned.

  
Bog scowled at his mother and Dawn as he entered the room with Marianne following behind him. “Still up?” He eyed Dawn.  

  
The little fairy smiled, then yawned. “I should get to bed.” She turned to Griselda and smiled. “It was nice talking to you.”

  
“It was. We’ll talk again in the morning, Dear.” Griselda gave her a grin, which made Bog uneasy.  Dawn bounced up out of her chair and giggled, passing by Bog and Marianne.  

  
“Do we have anything to eat?” Bog grumbled, walking up to the fire.  He reached around to his back, beginning to undo the buckles and straps holding his damaged armor on.

  
Griselda gave a little gasp as she got up and saw the large tear and dried blood. “Bogdan, what happened?”

  
“Nothing to be concerned about.” Bog turned his back to her. “Can ye get that strap I can’t reach?  I need to get this off and get on a new set.” Griselda was going to take care of it, but Marianne was faster.  She was curious exactly what was armor and what wasn’t.  Bog didn’t see who was undoing his armor.  He was too busy keeping his attention off of Marianne.

  
“I’ll go get the set we tested the dye on and find you something to eat.” Griselda snickered.  She hurried out the door, leaving Bog to realize there were still hands working on the hidden buckles.  His face turned red, and his choice to politely stop Marianne was taken away from him.

  
“This is really intricate.  Do you undo these when you sleep?” Marianne had half of it undone and was working on the rest.

  
“No.” Bog replied, keeping his attention on the fire.  

  
“You sleep in this?” Marianne frowned, undoing another small buckle. “And your mom dresses you?” She giggled at that.  Bog was silent.  He swallowed nervously.  He could feel her fingers sliding over his sensitive back as the last buckle was undone.  She pushed the armor plating aside to make it easier to be removed.  She made sure the pieces that went around his wings would not hang.  Then she stood back and studied him.

  
“Would ye mind not looking at me?” Bog grumbled, reaching up to remove the torn up chest armor.  It came away in layers.  First, the top plate, which was the most substantial part.  He tossed it aside.  There was another thinner layer of armor with a soft pad beneath it.  The last layers were thin sheets of leather that made up his collar and were more ornamental.  

  
Marianne watched, but she took the chair Dawn had been sitting in to pretend like she wasn’t.  She was dying to know if he looked like a male fairy or elf, or something more goblin-like.  Bog removed the last layers and tossed the damaged cloth into the fireplace.  The easiest way to dispose of them.  He said nothing and turned to leave the room in embarrassment.  

  
Since Bog had reached adult age, nobody but his mother saw him without his main armor on.  The goblins assumed it was a part of him.  Without it, he felt naked and embarrassed.  Marianne glanced and was amused at how hard Bog was trying to avoid looking at her.  His upper body looked the same as any other male she had seen without a shirt on.   

  
His chest was broad, and she could see where his shoulders and the armored plates attached.  Those were a part of him.  Overall, he was leaner than a typical male fairy but just as muscular.  A few faint scars crisscrossed the pale flesh over his abdomen and chest.  He had skin and not scales.  It looked like the top rows of scales were not actually a part of him, but more armor made to match the lower scales.  She wasn’t entirely sure about what was armor and what wasn’t.

  
Marianne settled into the chair, and into the warm blanket that draped over one side.  The blanket was cozy to snuggle into.  She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the fire.  This evening had been exhausting and a lot of fun.  Marianne thought back to the wild ride on the bat and the tree that was now lit up with glowing strands of dewdrops and stars.  The gentle chiming music it made flowed through her thoughts.

  
Then there was the Bog King himself.  Marianne stared into the fire, her eyes half open as she watched the small flames dance over the wood.  He was so wild and exciting.  Marianne would never have dreamed of riding on a bat.  That was something goblins did.  They tamed the very creatures that would typically make a meal out of them and used them.  It was fascinating, and she wondered if she could find out how they did it.  With bats, they could explore more of their world.  She could see what was out there.

  
Marianne ran her fingers over the soft blanket, resting her cheek on it and feeling drowsy.  She told herself she should be wary.  The Bog King or another goblin could come in here and do who knows what to her.  Then her mind reminded her that he had the opportunity to do whatever he wanted to multiple times during the night.  Instead, he had let her go when she told him to and mostly kept his hands to himself.  

  
The accidental embrace filled Marianne’s thoughts.  It had felt good and right when it happened.  Then her mind had reminded her that she couldn’t allow that kind of behavior.  Her father was the only male she would let hug her, and what Bog had done wasn’t just a simple casual hug.  No.  His arms held her, and for a brief moment, she was pressed up against him.  The smell of warm earth and trees came from him.  It was pleasant and welcoming.  She had the choice of leaning in and letting him hold her or pushing him away.  She chose the latter, and now, she wasn’t sure if she made the right choice.

  
When Bog flew into the tree limb, she had been concerned for him.  It could have killed him.  He was the Bog King.  Marianne scowled.  She should have been happy that something would kill him.  Then this nightmare would be over.  

  
Marianne could grab Dawn and be out of the goblin lands and back home tonight.  They could sleep in their own beds in their safe and secure castle.  They would not be stuck in the enemy’s hands.  

  
But she wasn’t a prisoner.  Bog told her she could leave at any time.  She couldn’t take Dawn with her, but she could go.  It would be easy to return home and tell her father everything.  Only, everything she had to say wasn’t what she expected.  Bog wanted peace.  He wanted her as ambassador because he liked her.  Marianne still wasn’t sure how long that would last.  She should probably stop trying to aggravate him.  After their evening together, she didn’t have the heart to provoke him.

  
Marianne couldn’t kill him.  She couldn’t harm him.  She didn’t want to anymore, but there was no way she was going to let this awful person, who was most likely pretending, gain her trust.  This could all be a setup.  There was no way this goblin could be the same one she had heard stories about for years.

  
“Would ye like something to eat or drink?” Bog leaned over the chair.  He was wearing a different set of armored plating over his chest now.  It was stained black so that it stood out against his grey body.  Marianne blinked.  It looked good on him. “My mother brought up some strawberries.”

  
“No.  I think I’ll join Dawn.” Marianne yawned and smiled despite herself.  He smiled back, his eyes half closing as he gazed at her.  Then he blinked and stood upright, nervously wringing his hands. “What?” Marianne sat up and stared at him.

  
“Nothing. I’ll walk ye to yer room.”

  
“Don’t try to make it like I’m a guest.” Marianne jumped out of her chair, anger filling her.  

  
“Would ye rather sleep in the dungeon if it makes ye feel better?” Bog glared at her. “Ye, not Dawn.  I will not allow her to be held in the dungeon.”

  
Marianne considered taking him up on it, then thought better of it.  She should be near her sister. “What do you want from me?”  

  
“Want?”  Bog’s expression shifted to bewilderment.  He looked like he had something to say, but couldn’t do it. “I want ye to be the ambassador from the Fairy Kingdom to the Dark Forest.”

  
“Why?” Marianne folded her arms, crossed her legs, and lifted an eyebrow at Bog, awaiting an answer.

  
“Ye would be good at it.” His gaze shifted to the ceiling.

  
“And you like me.” Marianne pointed out. “Do you know what would be best, Bog King?” He didn’t answer, his eyes fixing on the floor.

“If I bring Dawn back home and your document, my father would allow it.  It would show him I can do the job.”

  
“I keep my word, Princess.” Bog met her gaze, narrowing his eyes at her with determination. “Ye tell me, how does it look if I make terms and break them?”

  
“Like you’re willing to make concessions and deals.” Marianne smiled. “What are you willing to do to get what you want?”

  
“Keep my word and be who I am,” snorted Bog. “Doing what I think others expect of me has only led me down a dark path.  I am serious when I say I want peace.  It is best for my people.”

  
“And you want me?” Marianne continued smiling.  She kind of liked seeing his bizarre expressions as he worked out what to say.  She still wasn’t sure if he was pretending or being truthful.

  
“I want ye to be ambassador.” Bog grumbled.

  
“She is such an amazing and fierce warrior,” Marianne repeated the words that Dawn told her, using a mocking accent on it. “Yer … amazing.  Beautiful. Elegant. Fierce. Strong.” She made matching gestures with each word. Bog’s cheeks flushed red, and he sighed.  Then Marianne began to feel bad.  If he was faking, he was doing an incredibly good job at it.  

  
“I want nothing else than to see ye on occasion.  Ye are free to come and go as ye please, of course.” Bog paused, taking a big breath. “I have no other desires than admiration for your uniqueness.” He lied, even as he felt his heart begin to ache.  That strange pain needed to be ignored and not fed.  He did not love her, and he knew she felt the same as he did.  They did not require love, but he did want Marianne in his life regardless.  He needed her to be there, willingly.

  
Marianne looked at him skeptically.  Bog continued. “Now if we are done, do as you like.” He walked out of the room more slumped over than usual.  Marianne slumped against the back of the chair and sighed.  She lifted a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes.  What was she DOING?

  
It was cruel of her to say what she had said.  The Bog King did NOT just like her.  His face and his eyes told her more than he wanted known.  There was not a flicker of false emotion in them.  He was so sad that it hurt to look at him.  Marianne folded her arms and scowled at the fire.  She had no idea what to do.  This situation was utterly ridiculous, and guilt settled onto her shoulders.  She was needlessly mean to him.  He is the Bog King!  It came back around.  You can’t trust him!  He doesn’t trust you!

  
Maybe he thinks you’re some kind of toy for his amusement? That’s why he took her out on a bat and then spent hours entertaining her. It’s why he flew around that tree chasing her.  When he had caught her, his hands had gently held her.  He had let go immediately.  There was that smile she caught on his face several times during the night.  It was so warm and welcoming that she invited him to dance with her.  Something about it made her want him around her.

   
She LIKED him?  The thought made Marianne’s eyes widen.  She really liked him!  The fun evening they had was the most exciting few hours she had in her entire life!  Nobody had EVER shared in any adventure with her.  Marianne had always been alone.  Having someone else there had made it a million times more exciting.  He had actually taken her on an adventure!  Bog hadn’t said it would be too scary for her or avoided it.  He had initiated it and drug her along.  Marianne suddenly smiled and laughed to herself. 

  
What did this mean?  Her thoughts abruptly shifted from thinking he might be faking things to the fact that he had done something no other man had done.  He treated her as an equal and not a silly fairy girl.  He really believed those words she had mocked him with.  For over a year, he had played with her in the field, something no one else would ever have done. That’s why she had enjoyed it every single day. It’s why she had been sad when she thought he wasn’t there.  

  
A crashing sound came from the dining room, following by swearing and snarling.  Marianne looked up curiously, then got up to investigate.

-=-=-=-=-=-

When Bog left Marianne to go to the dining room and eat a strawberry, he felt nothing but rejection.  His mother had left him to tend to something else, but more likely, it was so he was alone with the sullen fairy.  Bog sat at the table, eating glumly and staring at the bright decorations.

  
Marianne doubted his sincerity, and Bog was at a loss for how to prove he wasn’t what she thought he was.  He wasn’t a monster.

 Once he wanted that reputation, but it only made him miserable.  What could he do to prove that he was serious?  Those decorations.  They reminded him of what he could not have once again. Marianne’s outward rejection added to it, and he scowled.  It hurt, and he didn’t want to hurt.  He did not love her.  He did like her, but those were two entirely different things.  

  
Why couldn’t Bog have this one little thing?  He told himself again, he did not need nor want love.  But he did need Marianne.  There was nothing in his life he needed more than to be around the beautiful fairy that made his heart want to leap and sing with a joy he had never known before.  He still wanted to touch her, hold her, kiss her, and tell her just how beautiful and amazing she was.   
She pushed him away, and Bog had to accept it.  Yet, she kept touching him without reservation.  Maybe what Bog needed to do was just be patient, keep his hands to himself, and stop hoping for things that were never going to happen.  He kept telling himself being around her was enough.  He had to stop the stupid fantasies.

  
Love.  Love would only lead to misery.  Bog stared at the red hearts and chains.  What was so good about it if it ended in so much pain.  He needed to get rid of the reminders.  He needed to block out the notion of love and all it carried with it.  Being around Marianne was enough.  With a snarl, Bog got up from the table.  He began tearing down the decorations and crumpling up the red hearts and flowers.  The more he pulled down, the more enthusiastic he was to get them down.  Until he jerked on one of the strands that brought down a heavy pole.  It narrowly missed him, and Bog swore, then flew around the room snarling, grabbing at all the stupid red hearts.

  
A giggle came from the doorway, and Bog glanced down to see Marianne in the door, a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing.  He landed on the table, his arms laden with hearts and ribbons.  There were strands of ribbon and bits of paper clinging to his head and shoulders.  His face turned red, and his jaw dropped open, imagining what he must look like to her.

  
“Let’s get rid of this!” Marianne darted forward and took to the air, going for the remaining strands.  She began pulling on them, ripping them off the walls enthusiastically.  Bog laughed and went back to doing the same. “I hate this stuff!”

  
“I hate it more!  My mom used to do this every year until I banned it!” Bog roared with laughter, flying around the room and ripping down more. “I can’t stand it!  Love!  Throw it all into the fire!” He gathered up an armful of paper and threw it into the dining room fireplace. “Ah-hah!  BURN!” He turned and grinned maniacally at the remnants.  

  
“I don’t have the power to prevent this garbage in my castle!” Marianne made a face, copying what Bog had done and throwing an arm full of hearts and streamers into the fire. “Maybe we can do this every year!”

  
“Oh, I’d let my mom decorate just to do this every evening!” Bog tore apart a heart-shaped flower wreath, shredding it with glee.  

Then he turned around abruptly, hunched forward, looking for something else to tear apart.  Bog found himself eye to eye with Marianne.  She had been distracted with ripping up a large heart when she ran into him.  She threw her hands up, reflexively onto Bog’s chest.

  
Bog stared up into her bright golden-brown eyes.  She was inches away, and he focused on her lips.  For a moment, he considered doing what his body was telling him he should do.  He could kiss her right now, and it would be amazing.   He knew it would be, but he stepped back, clearing his throat.  If she wanted to kiss him, let her do it first.  Bog would not do anything that he thought might offend her.

  
“Sir!  Sir!” Bog looked up to see Thang and Stuff enter the room with the elf from before between them. “The elf is back!”

  
“I can see that.” Bog scowled. “Go back to your post.” 

  
Sunny leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.  Bog and Marianne stood over him, waiting.  After a few minutes, he pulled off his backpack, opened it, and held out four magic books to Bog. “I didn’t find the exact spell, but there are other options.” He was still breathing hard.  Bog scowled but accepted the books.  He walked to the table and spread them out, then opened the first one.

  
“Marianne.” Sunny grabbed her by the hand and pulled her aside.  He was still breathing hard.

  
“What is it, Sunny?” Marianne could see the fear and distress in his face.

   
Whispering, Sunny filled Marianne in. “When I was in the library.  Your dad, Commander Davins, and Roland came inside and were talking.  They convinced your father to prepare to invade the Dark Forest on the sixth day if they don’t find Sugar Plum. Roland’s going to come in and do something.  I don’t know what, but it sounded like they were plotting to kill your father.”

  
Marianne gasped sharply and glanced over her shoulder at Bog.  He hadn’t heard any of their conversation.  He had his nose in a book. “Are you sure?” Marianne whispered back.

  
“Commander Davins said he would be king when he took your father’s sword, so I’m pretty sure. They’re going to force you to marry Roland and,…” Sunny whimpered. “They’re going to make Dawn marry Commander Davins.”

  
A snarling sound came over Marianne’s head.  Bog had walked over with one of the books and was standing behind her, listening. “Who’s this Commander Davins? Is it typical to force marriages in yer Kingdom?”

  
“No, it’s not.” Marianne sighed and looked up at Bog. “Sunny thinks he overheard a plot to kill my father.” Sunny nodded quickly and repeated the conversation to Bog.

  
“I have two days,” moaned Bog, flipping through pages in the book. “Two days.”

  
“Two days until what?” Marianne assumed he meant to prepare for war.

  
Bog frowned. “Two days to locate the Sugar Plum Fairy and catch her myself if yer people don’t do it.”

  
“Just give me Dawn in the morning, and I’ll take her home!” Marianne exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. “It’s as simple as that!”

  
“No, it is far more complicated.” Bog flipped through pages, not wanting to explain.  Then he snapped the book closed and looked from the elf to the fairy. “This does not leave here.  How weak do I look if I just let her go?  Do ye not understand that if yer father dies and someone new comes in who believes I am weak, they will bring yer army in and wipe us out?  I respect yer father, just like my father did. I’ve done bad things, and he never retaliated like he could have.” Bog took a deep breath. “We can not stand up to yer army, and I believe yer father knows it.  Ye see my people.” Bog grumbled. “Ye see there aren’t as many as there once was.  Over the years, I’ve come to realize that your father has been kind to us by allowing us to raid your towns and take what we need without retaliating.  It made my people feel strong, and I have kept them from doing any damage.”

  
Marianne stared at him. “Our army would wipe you and all of the goblins out of the Dark forest without a problem?”

  
“Yes.” Bog nodded sadly, then he stamped his staff on the ground. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” Bog frowned, hanging his head. “There are things I would be forced to do, Princess Marianne, that I’ve avoided my entire life.  I have killed creatures that threatened our home.  I have never taken the life of a goblin, elf, or fairy, but I will retaliate.  Ye are only thinking about yer people and ye when ye make that suggestion, not the lives here.”

  
“Then what are we going to do?” The words sank in, and Marianne looked up at Bog in worry.

  
“I am going to find the Sugar Plum Fairy within that time.  She will probably come near me just to mock me.” Bog opened the book again. “If I do not find her, I will release Dawn with ye, but ye will need to say ye rescued her from me.  And that will be the end of that.”

  
Marianne frowned, fully understanding what he wasn’t saying.  She walked up beside Bog and laid a hand on his arm. “I’ll go with you.”

  
“Ye don’t have to.” Bog tried to ignore the gesture.  He skimmed the book, then set it down on the table.  

  
“I do.  Maybe I can talk to her.”

  
Bog turned in silence and looked at Marianne.  He reached down to caress her face, and she put her hand over his, allowing him to do it.  Sunny looked from Bog to Marianne in complete confusion.

  
“Then this is the plan.  I will make preparations, and we will leave in the morning to the north.” Bog began, his eyes locked on Marianne’s. “I have reports saying that is where she is.  We will attempt to recapture her.  If we fail, we will return before anyone enters the Dark Forest, and ye will ‘escape’ with Dawn.  Then ye will have to figure out a way to deal with yer traitors.”

  
“Sounds like a good plan.” Marianne nodded.

  
Bog took a step back.  He began unbuckling the sword belt around his waist. “Ye will need this.” He held it out to Marianne.

Thank you.” She accepted it solemnly.

  
“Get some sleep, Love.  We will leave before daybreak.” Bog turned to the elf. “Go on with her. I’m done with ye.” Then he growled at him, baring his teeth in threat. “Say anything about what ye have heard, and I will hunt ye down and make ye pay for it.” Sunny whimpered and ran around to Marianne’s side, where she would be between him and Bog.

  
Bog turned and walked away at a fast pace, leaving Marianne and Sunny behind. “This way, Sunny.” Marianne headed to the hall that went to Bog’s room.

  
“Why is he calling you Love?” Sunny couldn’t hold back the question.

  
“Long story, but it doesn’t mean what you think it does,” Marianne replied, her head low and emotions overwhelmed with a mixture of sadness and regret. “He’s just sarcastic.”

  
“And you touching him and him touching your face is also sarcastic?” Sunny wasn’t dumb.  People didn’t do that kind of thing unless they actually liked someone.  

  
“Shut up, Sunny,” Marianne whispered, stepping between the two massive guards standing at the door.  She pushed it open and turned to Sunny. “It means nothing.” Sunny frowned at her, then went inside.  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Early update in case I forget.
> 
> I keep studying Bog and I'm PRETTY sure that chest armor comes off. :D It's too intricate in the way it's layered and the collar is flexible. Also pretty sure the guards on his lower arm snap on and off since it's obvious there's bare skin beneath them and no visible binding. However, the back has to be open so most of the armor plating must be natural or cleverly hidden with tiny straps over the points in his spine.


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marianne's beginning to crack under how much she likes Bog, despite still trying to convince herself he's the enemy. Bog and Marianne go out hunting for the Sugar Plum Fairy and Marianne wonders why Bog is the only goblin with wings. Goblins don't have wings.

“It means nothing.” Marianne’s words came back to haunt her as she curled up next to her sleeping sister and put an arm around her. Her emotions were still swirling around in confusion, and she was fighting them. And she was losing. Marianne’s relatively simple life had become ridiculously complicated in just a few days. The worst part about it was that despite not wanting to fall in love or be in love again, her heart had begun aching over the plan. 

Marianne didn’t want to see the Sugar Plum Fairy recaptured and put in a dungeon. She would have to seek some other way to end this. One that didn’t involve a situation where she would never see Bog again. She wanted the choice to get to know him and decide if she wanted to love him or not. That was a choice. To Marianne’s eyes, the Bog King had already made his decision in that matter, even while happily tearing down decorations that represented a version of it. He looked at her repeatedly, as though seeking approval.

For now, morning would come far too soon, and she needed to rest. Her father’s life depended on what happened in the next few days. When she got home, she would tell him what Roland and Commander Davins were plotting. Something would be done about them.

-=-=-=-=- 

Dawn was not happy when Bog knocked on the door to get Marianne up. She was even less happy when Marianne filled her in on what was going on. There was no way she was going to be forced to marry a stuffy old man. Commander Davins was strict and stern. Dawn curled her arms around Sunny’s shoulders and sniffled into his hair, as Marianne explained. Sunny and Dawn were to remain in the goblin castle. Griselda would watch after them, and if anything unforeseen happened, they needed to be careful. Marianne and Bog should return in two days.

They said their goodbyes and Marianne left her concerned sister behind.

“I have something for ye.” Bog was waiting outside the door when Marianne closed the door behind her. The two guards that had been standing by the doors were gone. Bog held out a bulky bundle of leather armor. “Mom spent the night working on this so ye won’t end up like ye did when ye came after me. It’s not as good as Fairy armor, but it’s lighter. I’ll help ye get it on.”

Marianne nodded, then followed Bog into the dining room. Bog sorted out the pieces on the table and offered Marianne a bowl of chopped up berries and edible plants. Marianne nibbled on a sweet leaf wrapped around a slice of berry and listened to Bog. “We can put it over what yer wearing.” He held up a thinly padded garment that would cover Marianne from her neck to her waist. Marianne lifted her arms and let him wrap the padding around her. It was held in place by a few small straps that went between her wings and around her waist. Bog couldn’t resist dragging his fingers down Marianne’s back as he placed them. Then he handed her a layered belt with black leather straps hanging off it that would protect her hips and legs. 

“This may be a wee tricky.” Bog lifted the main piece and looked from it to Marianne. It was layered the same way his own armor was and dyed black. There was gold ornamentation on the collar and edges. Bog held it out to Marianne, so she could situate it comfortably before he tightened the straps. In a few minutes, Marianne was standing with her arms outstretched, while Bog made sure everything was secure. There were few buckles and straps, and they weren’t hidden, which made it much easier to fit correctly. The top armor covered Marianne just past her waist and overlapped the belt. “Can ye move?” 

“Yeah.” Marianne smiled and twisted at the waist, then she twirled, flaring her wings out to see how the added weight affected her movements. She landed by Bog and picked up the remaining pieces of armor. Bog helped her position and fasten her arm and leg guards. The last piece to go on was her sword belt with her sword firmly held on her left hip. Marianne couldn’t help but notice most of the armor was identical to what Bog wore, on a smaller scale. She would be well protected if they ran into trouble.

Bog walked around her, making sure everything was secure. He pulled lightly on the armor and lifted her arms to inspect it. She bit back the urge to snap at him as his long clawed fingers passed gently down the inside of her arm from her elbow to wrist. He was checking the fit and where it left her arms uncovered. Then he stood back and nodded his approval.

“Let’s go. We’ll be able to see the sunrise. I think ye would like that.” Bog strode into his throne room and flew up to the broken skylight. It was proving a handy extra entrance and exit for the time being. Marianne took a deep breath and patted her shoulders and chest. This armor was hers, and it made her feel strong. 

Armor for a female fairy in the fairylands would never have been permitted. Even if Marianne had been a Queen, she knew that such a request would not have been carried out seriously. A smile spread across her face as she followed Bog. He wanted her to be safe, but he didn’t lock her inside a room. Instead, he gave her armor to face the danger.

-=-=-=-=- 

Bog snickered as he felt Marianne stiffen beside him with fear. She followed him through the skylight and landed next to him, then immediately slammed into his side with a startled yelp. The barn owl that Bog outfitted for their journey stood in front of them with his round black eyes looking at them. “Come, Love, this is Albus. He’s going to take us to the north.” Bog turned to put his arm behind Marianne’s shoulders and push her toward the owl. “Don’t be afraid.”

“It’s an owl.” Marianne gasped, unable to fully comprehend approaching such a massive creature. His size was overwhelming.

Bog was amused. “I am aware he is an owl, yes. Tyto Alba. A barn owl.” He gestured to the straps that were positioned around the owl’s chest and back. The owl had been packed with several small bags of supplies on the lower belts. “Lass, ye can’t stand there all day. We need to go.” He flew up to the owl’s back. Albus turned his head all the way around and hooted softly. Bog ran his hands through the thick feathers in his neck, and Marianne watched as the owl’s eyes closed contentedly. She cautiously joined Bog, landing on what looked like a crude saddle on the owl’s back.

“I recommend ye sit in front of me, this time.” Bog walked along the owl’s back and motioned to the front section of the saddle. “Ye will feel more secure until yer used to it.” Marianne nodded and took a step forward. The owl shifted and hooted at her. Marianne staggered backward. Bog caught her with a chuckle. “I told ye, don’t be afraid, Tough Girl.” Bog sat down in the middle seat and fasted his staff into straps at the side. Tentatively, Marianne slid into the seat in front of him. Her legs went off to the sides into the owl’s feathers. Handholds looped out of the bottom of the saddle, and a low roll of leather curled over the front. The owl hooted and lifted into an upright position, sending Marianne’s shoulders back into Bog’s chest.

The owl spread his wings and lifted off in one powerful stroke of his wings. Marianne gasped at the sudden motion that sent her heart down into her stomach. This animal was far stronger than the bat, and his wing beats were smoother. In a few more strokes, the owl broke through the trees. The sky opened up above them, and the owl leveled out to soar high over the treetops. The first rays of sunlight were peeking out over the horizon, illuminating the trees in a beautiful golden light. Marianne squinted to the east on their right for a moment and smiled. Then she looked to the sky ahead as it began filling with color. 

Bog leaned forward, his arms on either side of Marianne and his head above hers. “Beautiful, isn’t it, Love?”

“It is!” Marianne glanced up at him, then back at the sky. She had never seen the sun before it rose above the trees that surrounded the fairylands. She kept her eyes on the sky, committing the view to memory. The owl flew swiftly over the trees and reached the northern border of Bog’s forest. He slowed and began circling the area as Bog clicked and gave him direction. 

Marianne leaned over to see the forest below. There was an old falling down human house far off to the northeast. To the west, Marianne saw an elf town. The one that Sugar Plum had once called home. The owl banked and headed to the tree. Marianne winced as they came in fast, and she saw elves shrieking in terror. They thought the owl was attacking them.

The owl landed on a long hanging branch in the tree. Bog flew along the branch, and Marianne followed. The Sugar Plum fairy’s workshop still stood where he had last seen it. Judging by the frightened fairies and elves running into the structure, it was still in use.

“Bog! Bog!” Marianne flew in front of him and put her hands up to make him stop. “Let me go in and talk to them.”

“I can talk.” Bog loomed over her, his staff held to his side. The sunlight didn’t reach the fairylands this early in the morning. Ominous shadows covered Bog and made him look far more frightening than he actually was.

“They are my people.” Marianne smiled. “Let me ask them questions. Why don’t you stay out here? You’re frightening them.” Bog made a face, then nodded.

-=-=-=-=- 

Waiting outside was boring, but Bog did as Marianne wanted. He leaned on his staff with both hands wrapped around it and stood by Albus. The owl preened and fluffed his feathers. Below and above, elves and fairies watched from their homes and hiding places. Bog ignored them. They weren’t his subjects to deal with.

The people of the Fairylands needed to fear him. Bog lowered his eyes, noticing excited children were venturing out to look at him. They were kids, and they were not afraid of Bog. No, they were fascinated by his presence, because he was standing there and doing nothing. He began feeling self-conscious, unsure of what to make of the pointing and looks of awe on their faces.

“Go away. Stop looking at me.” Bog snarled, stamping his staff on the branch. Screams rose to his ears as the group scurried around the side of a house. Children. Bog went back to waiting, thinking about how his own people kept their children away from him. With a sigh, he leaned his head on his staff and closed his eyes.

A thought randomly popped into Bog’s head. What he needed was children of his own to prove he was harmless. Harmless? Why would he want to appear harmless? He still had a reputation to uphold as a fierce king. Giggling and laughter rose in the air again. Bog opened one eye to see the children were out again, and adults were standing outside their homes looking at him.

The fairy king’s kingdom flourished, while the goblin king’s was rotting into ruin. These people were happy and numerous, and their king was soft in Bog’s eyes. He allowed love to proliferate. Bog did not. There was a moment of silence as Bog pondered that. Why was his kingdom failing? His people may look different from the Fairy Kingdom’s people, but they were similar. 

Bog stood upright and looked out over the town. The smell of food was heavy in the air. Freshly baked bread and sweets. There was no shortage here. Under his father, there might have been shortages, but they were few and far between. No goblin ran in terror before his father. They brought their children to him for his blessing. Bog had not had a child brought to him in years, and it was baffling. It wasn’t just his occasional tantrums. Even during festivities, his fellow goblins gave him a wide berth.

Twitching his wings, Bog looked at the workshop, then down at the ground. Marianne might be a while, and he had nothing else to do other than wait. Bog touched the owl’s beak and decided to try something. He dropped off the branch and flew down near the children. They screamed and scattered in terror as Bog’s feet touched the ground. He scowled at them and the nearby fairies and elves who did the same. They ducked into their homes or behind them.

His reputation was intact. Bog planted his staff into the ground and waited for someone to look around a corner or open a door. The children were the first to appear, peeking around the side of a house. There was a mix of fairy and elf children, boys and girls, at least half a dozen. 

“Tell me, Children, are ye afraid of me?” Bog made no move and attempted to keep from making any kind of threatening face at them. His question was met with several slow nods. “Why?” There was silence. “Who am I?”

“You’re the Bog King.” A little elf boy ventured with a smile. Then he slapped his hands over his mouth and stared at Bog with wide eyes.

“I am.” Bog glanced around, then settled into a seated position on the ground, crossing his legs and keeping his staff upright at his side. “Come here.” Bog gestured to the boy with a clawed hand. He attempted to sound pleasant and welcoming. The boy shook his head, and Bog dropped his hand with a frown. 

“You take children and eat them.” A little female fairy whispered with a horrified look on her face.

“I do not.” Bog scowled, and the kids backed up with frightened whimpering. “We do not eat children, and we do not eat elves and fairies.”

“You kidnapped the princesses!” One of the other kids exclaimed.

“Princess Dawn is staying with me, yes, but Princess Marianne is here with me right now. Ye will see her shortly, I’m sure.” Bog nodded, then he got an idea. He held his hand out and formed a small red ball. It glowed with a golden light. He tossed it into the air, and the children stepped out of their hiding area to stare. A little elf girl ran forward a few steps. Bog threw the ball gently, and she caught it. She grinned at him, the sweetest little smile, and Bog couldn’t help but smile back.

The little girl rolled the ball in her hands and giggled. Then she pointed with one hand to Bog’s head. “Why are you wearing a crown made out of flowers?” Bog blinked at the question, lifting a hand to touch the crown, which was just as fresh as when Dawn had placed it on his head.

“It was a gift from Princess Dawn.” Bog replied. “She is a very nice princess, isn’t she?”

“She’s so beautiful!” gushed one of the kids. They were coming closer to Bog, but still wary.

“Sometimes she comes here to play with us!”

“Marianne is my favorite princess!”

Bog chuckled, closing his eyes, “She’s my favorite princess too.” He mumbled.

-=-=-=-=- 

Marianne finished her quick set of questions to the magic students in the workshop and left to rejoin Bog. She was surprised to only see the owl when she stepped outside. Then she saw him on the ground. She remained on the branch for a few minutes, watching and listening to his conversation with the children. At first, she was alarmed by what she was seeing. While she had seen better sides of him, the stories and reports were still in her thoughts when she looked at him.

The Bog King was sitting down, a move that purposely made him less threatening. A ring of children was standing around him, talking laughing. Concerned adults stood outside their homes nearby. She smiled and watched, but had a hand on the hilt of her sword. The flower crown had been made by Dawn? That was sweet. Marianne felt a sudden wave of sadness, thinking about how Bog had treated that simple flower crown like it was the most precious piece of treasure he owned. 

A lump rose in Marianne’s throat as she looked at him. Her sister reached out to him with a kind gesture, and he responded to it, despite who he was. The evil, dark king of the forest, had a tender heart under all those sharp edges and thick shields. She ran a hand through her hair, frowning at him. That ridiculous crown of flowers was more fitting for him than a ring of cold metal. Marianne ran her fingers over her chest, feeling her heartache and knowing immediately it was for him. She sighed and dropped out of the tree.

-=-=-=-=- 

The children screamed and ran in terror when Marianne dropped out of the tree and landed next to Bog. He looked up at her and began laughing at her shocked expression. Marianne scowled at him, running a hand nervously through her hair. “Never had people run from you in fear, Princess?” Bog gathered his legs beneath him and rose. An amused smirk remained on his face as he looked down at Marianne. “It’s an empowering feeling when ye want to scare them.” He waved at the children. “Not so great when ye don’t want it.”

In a flurry of wings, Bog lifted off and flew up to the owl, landing on the saddle. Marianne shook her head and smiled at the kids. “It’s just me, Princess Marianne!” She called out to them.

“Why do you look like a goblin?!” One of them shouted.

“I’m on a mission!” Marianne groaned, flaring her wings so they could see who she was. “I am not a goblin. Goblins don’t have wings!” She rolled her eyes and took to the air, joining Bog on the owl. She had an annoyed look on her face as she landed on the saddle and turned to face Bog.

“How does it feel?” Bog gave Marianne a smug look. She looked down at him, her expression fading. “And ye can take it off and be a pretty little fairy.” He added, sitting on the saddle sideways. “Did ye learn anything?”

“Sugar Plum comes here for a few hours in the evening.” Marianne put her hands on her hips and looked up into the trees. “She said she’ll be back tonight, but not when.”

“Okay, so we need to stay here and set a trap,” began Bog.

Marianne groaned. “Could we try to talk to her first? I don’t want to see her rotting in a dungeon.”

“I promise you’ll never see her.” Bog snarled, clenching and unclenching his fists and making his knuckles pop. He growled and looked away.

“Bog.” Marianne put a hand on his shoulder, pushing down so he could feel the pressure on his armored plating. “Is there any way you can just let her go? What would it take?”

“Sugar Plum must be contained. She is dangerous, and nobody sees it but me.” 

“How is she dangerous?” Marianne thought back to the few times she had seen that particular fairy. Back when she was a child and every fairy and elf was tested for magical ability? That was so long ago. Another memory poked through, the one when Marianne had run into a dangerous winged goblin in the forest. A goblin who threatened to put her in a cage and poke her with sticks. She began laughing. “Would you really have stuck me in a cage as a child and poked me with sticks? That’s far worse than Sugar Plum treated me when I met her. She gave me cookies and lemonade and told me my magical ability was trouble.”

Bog let her words sink in, his face turning red, recalling that conversation. How could he forget? It was the only time he ran across a fairy girl that young in his forest. Then he had another memory of the conversation with his father regarding Marianne the first time they met. 

She’s unique. Bog saw his father’s face and heard his voice. I’ve been around fairies, Bog, and little fairy girls… they’re not like that. They’re delicate things. That wee lass has a streak of the wild in her.

What does that matter? She’s a fairy. Bog remembered how annoyed he had been.

A fairy QUEEN ye may someday have to work with when ye are King.

Bog stared out over the fields, lost in his thoughts. What was he doing right now? His father said those words, and while Bog was a child, he had not considered the future like this. His far older and wiser father saw the obvious. They were the next generation, and with their kingdoms side by side, this would happen in one way or another.

I met Bog’s wife today.

Those words rang through his head, echoing with possibility. Bog remembered how angry he had been when his father spoke those words and said that he liked the little fairy girl. That girl, which was now standing beside Bog, tapping her fingers on his shoulder. She was trying to get his attention.

“Bog? Can we talk to Sugar Plum first?” Marianne put both of her hands on his shoulder, pushing down lightly.

“No. We catch her first, then maybe we’ll talk.” Bog scowled up at her, then he sighed. “I apologize, ye don’t understand.”

“I would like to understand.” Marianne offered, leaning her elbows on Bog’s shoulder and looking at him.

“No.” Bog turned his head away shamefully. “We’re going to go north, and I’m going to talk to the goblins who live there.”

“If I can come up with an alternate solution, would you listen?”

Bog looked up, “Princess, I will listen to anything ye have to say. I may not agree with it, but I will listen.”

-=-=-=-=- 

Sunny and Dawn sat with Griselda in the small cozy living room off the dining room. Dawn was sitting near the fire, basking in its warmth. Sunny sat in a chair nearby, nervously wringing his hands and looking from Dawn to the goblin woman. Griselda entered carrying a basket heaped with a length of black fabric. It was trimmed with gold.

“Is that it?” Dawn bounced up and fluttered up to Griselda.

“It is.” Griselda beamed at her. “I’m finishing up the embroidery today. It’ll be ready when they return.”

“What is it?” Sunny peered at the pair, not sure if he wanted to know.

“May I?” Dawn reached out for the garment.

“Sure,” grinned Griselda. “It’s done. I had Bog try it on this morning, and it fits. I even think he likes it.” Dawn giggled, picking up the outfit from the top. She pulled it from the basket and rose into the air to be at Bog’s height.

Sunny stared as the cloth unfolded. It was a long black robe cut to fit Bog’s unique frame. The garment was sleeveless and straight, with the slits in the sides that started just above where Bog’s hips would be. The bottom of the front and back pieces would end up below Bog’s knees. The edges were trimmed in gold, and it was hemmed in gold thread. There was a floral design on the high ridged collar that resembled the design of Bog’s staff. The bottom hem of the outfit had the same design, but it wasn’t finished.

“What do you think?” Dawn giggled happily. “I designed it!”

“Uhhhh.” Sunny looked from Dawn to the garment, then back again. “It looks niiiiice.” He settled on that answer. “What is it for?”

“Bog is going to wear it to the Fairy court to meet with Dad.” Dawn turned and held the garment out to Griselda. The goblin took it and folded it so she could work on it. Sunny blinked at that news. Had everyone gone crazy?

“Why?” Sunny frowned.

“Oh, Silly, eventually, Boggy’s going to ask Marianne to marry him, and he’s going to need permission from dad.” Dawn dropped to the ground and danced up to Sunny. “Well, unless they do something stupid.”

“I hope they’re getting along.” Griselda sighed, sitting down in her chair and pulling out a pair of wooden hoops to work with. “Bogdan gets overwhelmed when he doesn’t know what to do and doesn’t tend to react well to stress.”

“And you have him out with a case of explosives that has a short fuse?” Sunny groaned. “Uh, why do you think Bog and Marianne want anything to do with each other?”

“He’s perfect for her!” Dawn clasping her hands and laying her cheek against them.

“The Bog King? The BOG KING?” Sunny couldn’t hide the incredulous look on his face. “No offense, Ma’am!” He bit his lower lip and apologized to Griselda.

“None taken,” she chuckled. “I know my son. He’s not how you think he is. We’ll see what happens. In the end, the only thing we can do is encourage them and give a little push here and there.”

“Give a little push?” Sunny rolled his eyes, then buried his head in his hands. “They might kill each other!”

“Oh, they already went through that,” giggled Griselda. Then she sighed in relief. “Thankfully, that seems to have worked itself out. I was told Marianne had her sword to my son’s neck.”

“Really?!” Dawn gasped. “I know he hurt her, but Boggy healed her.”

“That’s, that’s not possible.” Griselda blinked at Dawn. “Bog can’t heal people.”

“Oh, he can!” Dawn giggled, settling into a nearby chair. “I saw it! He healed that cut on Marianne’s hip.” Griselda stared at Dawn in astonishment.

“My boy is more special than I thought he was.” Griselda smiled and went back to her hemming.

-=-=-=-=-

Marianne and Bog spent the day crisscrossing from the fairylands to the dark forest and back again. The Sugar Plum Fairy was spotted in an elf town to the west and by goblins north of the border. Between Marianne and Bog, they were able to figure out an area where Sugar Plum was hiding somewhere in. When they stopped getting reports, Bog had Albus carry them to the east to see how far she had gone in that direction.

When they reached the falling down farmhouse, Bog had the owl give it a wide berth to the south. Marianne tried to peek over the side of the owl, and Bog suddenly closed his arms around her, making sure that her wings were tucked in. “Stop that.” Marianne scowled, wriggling in his grasp. “I’m not going to fall off!”

“That’s not my concern.” Bog looked over the side of the owl as they flew over and past the house. “That area is infested with pixies. Do ye know what pixies are, Love?”

“Yeah, little spiteful creatures that look like us, but they’re wild and mischievous.” Marianne continued squirming, but Bog had her pinned against him firmly.

“Ye should never go near that area. They do not know there are fairies anywhere near them. They are jealous creatures, and they will kidnap beautiful fairies like ye and hold ye for their amusement.” Bog whispered into Marianne’s ear, resting his chin on her shoulder. “So, be quiet and don’t move.”

In a few more minutes, the owl left the overgrown farm far behind them. Marianne felt Bog’s arms relax around her. He let her go entirely, dropping his hands to his side and looking over her head. Marianne sat quietly, in shock at the thought of pixies swarming after some innocent fairy girl and stealing them away to their decrepit ruin. She blinked and realized that Bog had done that very thing to her sister. The irony wasn’t lost on her that he was afraid of something else doing that to her. 

They continued on their way, spending the rest of the day to the east. Then they returned to the area close to the tree they knew Sugar Plum would be visiting. Bog had the owl land in a large tree on the border between their two kingdoms. They shared a meal in silence. Bog spent the rest of the afternoon reading over a magic book and practicing a bubble trap. Then he napped for a couple of hours.

Marianne watched him. Goblins slept a lot, and they snored. She chuckled as Bog sprawled out over some flexible branches he weaved together into a makeshift nest and made himself at home. He chose a spot that allowed sunlight to shine on him. That seemed like an odd choice for a goblin who preferred darkness over light. She continued watching him for a while longer until her eyes began to feel heavy.

The fierce Bog King looked peaceful as he slept. The light played over his features, and Marianne studied him through half-closed eyes. To her, he wasn’t ugly or even scary now. She was used to looking at him and seeing more than his rough exterior. He was powerful and confident, which made his more awkward moments amusing and touching. Someone as strong as the Bog King being shy and blushing around her was flattering. She liked it. 

He wasn’t a bold jerk of a fairy who was overconfident without anything to back it up. Briefly, Marianne considered joining Bog’s nap but had things other than napping in mind. She liked him. A goblin? She was considering choosing to love a goblin? Not fall in love, no, she would make a choice, depending on if he was right for her or not. That meant keeping him at arm’s length and not allowing her emotions to rule her.

For now.

Marianne squinted at Bog as his wings involuntarily twitched, catching the sunlight and reflecting a flash of color. Goblins don’t have wings. Marianne frowned, thinking it over. The king of the goblins had wings. She wrinkled her brow in thought, remembering what her father told her. He met Bog’s father decades before when he took the name. They had a brief discussion about relations, and the two kings came to an arrangement. The Bog King would control the goblins and civilize them. Her father would keep his army out of the forest. That was their first treaty, and the Bog King kept his word.

Bog’s father had come from outside the forest. Bog wasn’t a goblin. He was some foreign fairy hybrid. But what he actually was, wasn’t important to Marianne. She smiled and leaned against the tree trunk, thinking about how graceful he could be. The memory of the evening dancing around the tree came to mind as Marianne fell asleep. Bog danced beautifully for someone who didn’t know how to dance. She wanted to dance with him for real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite parts in this whole story is Bog dressing Marianne in a suit of armor, using it as an excuse to touch her without being inappropriate. *Snicker* BTW, that armor is old armor that he probably wore at a much younger age, likely kept in good condition by mom for sentimental reasons. I researched leather armor and found it can last a very long time when taken care of.
> 
> Bog attempting to interact with elf and fairy children is also another highlight.
> 
> Poor Sunny has slotted into the role of the pessimist, completely convinced everyone around him is absolutely crazy and he's the only one left with any common sense. :D 
> 
> This chapter is FULL of things that are IMPORTANT to remember. I intend to get a second chapter up later today after some rough editing.


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Bog's failure at capturing Sugar Plum, they head back to Bog's castle with a new plan, one Bog isn't happy with, but has decided is the right way to go, even if it means bowing to another king.

The sun was beginning to set when Bog roused Marianne. Albus carried them to the tree Sugar Plum’s workshop was in. They hid up high in the boughs, out of sight of the elves and fairies going on with their evening business below. Albus left to hunt elsewhere.

While they waited, a cool breeze swept over the Fairylands, and the sky darkened with clouds. Marianne kept glancing up at the incoming storm with worry. Bog didn’t notice, busy watching for Sugar Plum. Spring storms could be dangerous to fairies. Usually, Marianne would be inside the castle rock with the rest of the fairies. Seeking shelter from the rain and cold was a priority.

“There she is.” Bog hissed. Marianne looked down to see a glimmer of color pass below them and light up the workshop. Then it vanished. Bog crouched over the branch, growling. He flared his pauldrons and twitched his wings in anticipating. His staff was positioned to help propel him after the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Marianne kept behind him. This was his hunt, not hers. They waited a few minutes, then there was an explosion of light in the branches above them.

“Did you really think you could sneak up on me?” The Sugar Plum Fairy laughed from somewhere above them.

Bog jerked his head up with a snarl. “Get down here! I got a nice little cell for ye!”

“You are such a fool, Bogdan.” The gleaming fairy’s voice echoed through the branches. “Oh, who is that you - wait, you have a GIRL with you?” She began laughing, which only irritated Bog more. He flew up into the branches, swinging his staff.

“Bog!” Marianne yelled after him. “We should try to talk to her!” Bits of branches and leaves rained down around her. Half a dozen blue orbs floated through the branches. Bog went after the closest one, only to have it vanish into nothing.

“Princess Marianne! You’ve grown up into a beautiful woman!” Sugar Plum laughed from somewhere in the tree. “What are you doing with HIM?”

“He kidnapped my sister, and he won’t return her until he has you! But I don’t want that to happen either!” Marianne stepped out onto a branch and yelled. “We need to find a solution!”

“Oh, I have a solution!” The laughter continued, while Bog rampaged after another orb. “Bog needs to get over it! Would you like to know why he hates me so much?!”

“NO!” Bog furiously went after another orb. “Do not tell her!”

“Just tell me!” Marianne rolled her eyes in Bog’s direction.

“Bog came to me for a love potion! I told him he didn’t need it, to just talk to the girl! Love potions are not for serious love! They’re for pranks and fun, only Bog didn’t understand.” The voice seemed to be moving now. Bog pursued the last couple of orbs, hoping one of them was Sugar Plum. “He took it out on me when it didn’t work! He couldn’t take the rejection because he was an immature child! Then he blamed me for his heartbreak!”

“Shut up!” Bog cried out, landing near Marianne. “Please, stop.” His voice dropped to a mournful level. “Ye are a danger to everyone, not just me!”

“Am I really? I swear, I will never make another love potion again! You taught me a valuable lesson, Bog.” Sugar Plum appeared outside his reach. “But I will not allow you to catch me again. You can’t hope to ever catch me, Bogdan.”

Bog slumped and looked at Sugar Plum. She was so close, but she was incredibly fast. He had no hope of catching her, and it was sinking in now that he faced her. “I, I,” Bog stammered, unsure of what to do. “Can’t ye just come back with me for a few days? Enough time to fix this problem? I will let ye go. I swear it.”

“I don’t trust you.” Sugar Plum scowled at him, then vanished into the darkness.

“No!” Bog yelled after her, clenching his fists angrily.

“Bog.” Marianne stepped up behind him and laid a hand on his arm. He whirled around, wide-eyed in embarrassment. Head low and wings drooping, Bog backed away. “It’s okay. I’m not going to judge you.”

He closed his eyes and grimaced, turning away. “I’ll take ye home with Dawn tomorrow.” Bog lifted his head and whistled for Albus to return. He wanted to get home as soon as possible. Failure weighted Bog’s shoulders down, and he needed to get away from Marianne. Her presence and knowing she heard what Sugar Plum said, terrified him. He would not be able to handle another rejection, and that’s what he was looking at with Marianne. Certain rejection.

-=-=-=-=-=-

The thoughts continued once Albus arrived. Bog sullenly climbed into the front seat, his head clouded in gloom. He had nothing. Marianne slid into the seat behind him and wrapped her arms around Bog’s waist. She squeezed him tightly and rested her head against his back. Bog slumped forward further, clicking to the owl. He was too caught up in his thoughts to realize Marianne was trying to comfort him.

Albus took off with rapid wing flaps. The owl was in a hurry, but he wasn’t fast enough. A gust of wind struck him and sent him up higher into the sky. Bog blinked, gripping onto the saddle tight enough to gouge marks into the leather. He quickly realized that this could turn disastrous quickly.

Then the rain began falling as the winds buffeted the owl. Bog growled, clicking to the owl to land. They weren’t going to make it to the castle. Worse. Marianne had been holding onto Bog with a firm grip. It loosened, and she was shaking. Sitting behind Bog had put her in position for the rain to fall on her. Bog turned to wrap an arm around Marianne and make sure she didn’t fall off as the owl landed.

Marianne was worrisomely quiet and shivering. Bog turned and looked up into the tree, scanning for any place out of the wind and rain. They were still exposed. “Come on, Lass, I’m going to pick ye up.” Marianne didn’t reply as Bog stood and lifted her. He dropped down to the branch and motioned for Albus to spread a wing. Bog tucked Marianne beneath the owl and flew up into the tree. There had to be somewhere that would protect Marianne. The rain and sudden drop in temperature didn’t bother Bog, but fairies were weak to the cold. He zipped up and down the trunk until he found a small hollow up high. It would be tight, but that didn’t matter. He had to get Marianne somewhere dry, and it would do.

Bog flew down and scooped Marianne up again. She was shivering, her wings and body soaked with cold water. She felt so small and frail in his arms that Bog worried she might already be gone. He indicated for the owl to follow, then led the way up further into the tree to the hollow.

Albus hooted and shook his feathers, covering the opening after Bog flew inside. “Come on, Princess. I’ll have ye dry.” Then he began unbuckling the straps on Marianne’s breastplate.

“So cold.” Marianne whimpered, unable to manage more through chattering teeth. Water soaked through her armor and into the padding beneath. She gasped like it was difficult to breathe.

“I’ve got ye.” Bog whispered in concern. He tossed the main armor aside and began running his hands over Marianne’s tunic, squeezing water out of it. He did the same to her hair, then pulled her close to him and attempted to heal her. He wasn’t sure if it would work, he just needed her to warm up.

“Don’t die, Love,” the words escaped in a flood of emotion. Bog felt her shivering stop, and her breathing became less labored. “I love ye. I know I do because I am hurting so much right now, and I want to keep hurting for ye.” He curled up around Marianne, pulling her wings out around them so they would dry. “I have nothing, and I am nothing, but I will serve ye with my life if ye would have me.” He kissed her on the forehead and nuzzled her hair, holding her tightly and hoping she would be okay. “I love ye, Love. I know ye don’t love me, and that’s okay. I don’t expect ye to. I’ve done nothing to deserve it. Just being in yer presence is enough for me. That’s all I ever wanted. To be near ye.”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne heard every word. She curled up in Bog’s arms in a dazed state, but she heard him. Then he began singing gently to her, running his hands nervously over her back and arms. His heart was racing in panic, and Marianne clearly heard it. She smiled, comforted by the awkward gestures, and the occasional break in Bog’s warm voice. She was too exhausted to reply and instead enjoyed his attention.

The night went on for too long. The storm crashed around them and shook the tree with its force. Marianne woke several times throughout the night to a half-asleep Bog, still holding her, babbling the same words over and over again. Sometimes he sang or hummed a comforting song. Always, he held her.

When morning finally came, Marianne awoke to warm rays of sunshine streaming into the hollow. Bog wasn’t there, and everything felt like a dream. Marianne sat up and looked around, blinking the sleep away.

“Yer awake?” Bog’s frame filled the opening, illuminated with a golden glow. Marianne squinted, rubbing her eyes. His wings reflected the golden light and glimmered. “How do ye feel?”

“Okay. I feel okay.” Marianne stretched and flexed her wings, staring at Bog’s silhouette. She smiled and got on her hands and knees to get out of the hollow. Bog stepped aside but offered his hand. She took it, smiling up at him. The sunlight softened Bog’s features, and he was giving her a lopsided smile that showed off his crooked teeth in a way that was honestly, cute. Not a word Marianne would have used to describe Bog before, but right now, she was feeling warm and fuzzy. The world was aglow around her, and everything felt new as it often did following a rainstorm.

“Why don’t ye get warmed up in the sun. Albus will return soon, and we can leave.” Bog was smiling, but his eyes momentarily clouded over, the smile fading. He turned away, slouching. Marianne glanced at him shyly, then stepped past him and out into the sunlight. She flared her wings and sighed. Sunshine always made her feel energetic.

Bog lifted his eyes to watch her, admiring how the light set her wings on fire. He smiled his mood lifting, despite the growing pit of despair within. He hoped that Marianne hadn’t heard his rambling confession. There were enough problems to deal with without having to deal with his idiocy.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Griselda laid out a breakfast of berries and edible plants for her two guests. Dawn bounced out to the table and helped herself. Sunny followed close behind, casting wary glances at the goblins he passed on the way in. The little elf yelped when one of them bared her teeth at him.

“I can’t wait to get home.” Sunny whimpered, joining Dawn at the table. He stared at the table he couldn’t even see over. “And everything is me sized.”

“I don’t know. This has been fun!” Dawn grinned, messing with the flowers in her hair.

“Fun isn’t the word I would use.” Sunny grumbled, climbing up into a chair. He folded his arms on the table and rested his head on them.

“I’m sure this will be over soon.” Griselda slid the serving bowl in front of Sunny. “That was a courageous thing you did, Elf.”

Sunny set his eyes on Dawn, who was cheerfully eating a big slice of strawberry. There was a light dusting of sugar on it, and some of it had fallen off the strawberry. Dawn’s cheeks were glistening with little sugar crystals.

“It was a stupid thing, Ma’am.” Sunny whispered miserably.

“We all do stupid things for love!” Griselda gushed, giving Sunny a knowing smile. He groaned in response.

“Who do you love, Sunny?” Dawn turned and smiled at Sunny. He responded by putting his hands behind his head and banging his forehead on the table.

A rattle of wings echoed through the throne room, followed by the gentler flap of fairy wings. Bog flew into the dining room, landed by the table to grab the bowl in front of Sunny. He shoved a piece of strawberry in his mouth and stomped into the living area. Marianne landed with a sigh. Both Sunny and Dawn turned their attention and stared at her in her goblin armor.

“You look lovely, Dear.” Griselda gave her a huge smile. “I’m assuming that the mission was a failure?”

“Yes.” Marianne sighed.

“Good.” Griselda chuckled.

“Good?”

“I don’t like holding prisoners,” growled Griselda.

“Bog and I are going to go see my father. We should all be home by evening.” Marianne smiled at her sister.

“What?” Dawn frowned in disappointment.

“You want to stay here?” Marianne stared at her sister, incredulously. Dawn glanced to the door Bog had vanished into, then back to Marianne. She got up and grabbed her by the arm.

“Marianne, what about Bog?” Dawn whispered, pulling her sister aside.

“Uh,” Marianne’s face turned red, unable to think of a quick and easy answer. “He’s going to be coming to the Fairylands often?”

“What about YOU and Bog?” Dawn smiled sweetly at Marianne. She was gratified to see the blush on Marianne’s already red face deepen. “Do you like him? I like him.”

Marianne stared at her sister, then she reached up and ran a hand through her hair, picking out a little purple flower. “How are these flowers still fresh?” She held it to her nose and smelled it. The flower was fragrant.

“I don’t know.” Then Dawn leaned toward Marianne and giggled, “Bog put them in my hair.”

“Really?” Marianne stared at Dawn’s hair.

“Uh, huh.” Dawn grinned. “Do you LIKE him?”

“Mom, are ye done with that outfit?” Bog returned from the living room. He tossed the empty bowl onto the table. Twitching his wings, Bog looked over at Marianne and Dawn.

“Yes, Dear.” Griselda motioned to the hall off the dining room that led to their rooms. “It’s hanging up in my room. Let’s get it on.”

“We’re going to leave as soon as I’m dressed, Marianne. Need to get this over with.” Bog walked after his mother in a low crouch, a scowl fixed on his face.

“Marianne!” Dawn pouted, folding her arms and waiting for an answer.

“I can’t right now, Dawn.” Marianne tried to walk around her. Dawn’s face contorted with sadness, and her lips quivered. She reached out and grabbed Marianne’s wrist.

“Give him a chance,” Dawn whispered. “He really, really likes you.”

Marianne took a deep breath. She whispered back, “I know he does, but now is not the time. I want to get you safe at home, and we’re doing this to save Dad.” Marianne leaned forward to wrap her arms around her sister and hug her. “I promise. I’m going to give him a chance.”

-=-=-=-=-=-

Bog returned to the dining room half an hour later, followed by his mother. Sunny, Dawn, and Marianne were sitting at the table, discussing what had happened with the Sugar Plum Fairy. Marianne’s eyes widened in awe. Bog’s cheeks were pink, and his eyes were set on the floor.

The look was far more regal than Marianne expected. Bog’s armor had been replaced with a new set of jet black armor, fringed in gold. The sharp points of his arm guards were rounded off to give him a less aggressive appearance. It was still functional. Over it, he wore a black robe with a rigid, layered collar. The collar had a leaf-like edge to it and was trimmed in gold. Embroidered leaf decorations that matched the design of Bog’s staff decorated the upper right side of the robe. It was repeated across the bottom.

He still wore the flower crown. Marianne smiled at him, and Bog stood fully upright, striking a more confident pose. “What do ye think?”

“It looks good on you,” replied Marianne, looking him up and down again. “But you don’t have to change anything about yourself for me.” Bog gave her a shy smile. “You look majestic,” Marianne stated, walking up to him.

Sunny, Dawn, and Griselda watched them curiously. All three were completely silent. Marianne stopped in front of Bog and lifted her hands to rest on his chest. She stared directly ahead, considering what she wanted to do. Bog looked at her curiously. She reached out to trace the embroidery on his chest, then smiled up at him.

“You look like a King.” Marianne took two steps back and gave Bog a shallow bow.

“Don’t bow to me, Princess.” Bog reached out to stop her, touching below her chin lightly with the tips of his claws. Then he bowed deeply to her, lowering his head below hers and holding the position for a moment. “Never bow to me.” He raised up to meet her eyes with a serious expression on his face. “Never bow to anyone, Love.”

Marianne stepped back. Love. The way he said it was different. It wasn’t laced with sarcasm like it had been the first time. Every time he said it after the first time, the word had softened. She felt a wave of embarrassed heat wash over her, dragging with it a sense of shyness she felt more and more around Bog. She had no idea how to respond to him, and it made her nervous.

“We should be going.” Bog sighed, glancing from Marianne to his mother. “Thank ye, Mother.” He nodded at her.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Bog insisted on Marianne riding in front of him when they took Albus to the Fairy Castle. He wanted her there as an excuse to have his arms at her side. It was as close as he dared to be. After the incident with the rain, he was paranoid about her riding behind him in case any number of random imagined dangers might occur. Bog positioned himself to protect Marianne, without her thinking about it.

They had discussed their plan thoroughly. Marianne would take Bog to meet with her father in private. Bog would apologize for what he had done and hand over the document he had prepared. He would go over reparations with the Fairy King, then they would leave to retrieve Dawn and Sunny. Thus would begin a new understanding between their kingdoms.

The pit within Bog’s stomach knotted and grew. He was a king, and he was going to bow to another king. Admitting his failure would hurt, but in the end, it would be best for his people. Marianne assured Bog that her father would help advise him. She would help him. The Fairy King had no desire to take over the Dark Forest or subjugate his people. It would still be his to rule, but he needed help.

Bog outlined the problem areas to Marianne, and she already told him several things that offended him. The primary one being his declaration against love. That brought up failure at recapturing Sugar Plum. He was going to have to let that go if he wanted his people to thrive again. Bog would have to tolerate it, just like Marianne did.

The suggestion was one that would have had Bog snarling and glaring down anyone else who made it, including his own mother. Instead, there was a quick-rising of anger, then he looked into Marianne’s eyes, and it faded. She made her point in more words, her voice soothing him as he listened. Being around this beautiful fairy who looked at him as an equal and didn’t fear him had a calming effect on Bog. She did not see him as a monster, and it didn’t trigger a need in him to meet that expectation.

Bog smiled, seeing the castle come into view. This would not be so bad. The meeting itself would be the worst part. Beyond it was a bright future, one in which he wasn’t watching his beloved little warrior from a distance. There would be more games they could enjoy, and he had every intention of allowing her to catch him every time.

-=-=-=-=-=-

The first sign of a problem was the lack of response when the owl landed on the castle rock. Normally, there would be guards standing watch, but there was no one. Marianne led the way to one of the entrance balconies with Bog flying behind her. The guard standing there blinked at the pair of them in astonishment. “Princess Marianne?”

“Hubert.” Marianne smiled, walking up to the guard. “Where is everyone?”

The elderly guard looked from Marianne to the form of the Bog King towering over her. He swallowed nervously. “Princess, uh.” The guard stared at Bog, his face growing pale.

“This is the Bog King. He is not here to hurt anyone, but we need to speak to my father.” Marianne stated, gesturing to Bog.

“Your father isn’t here, Princess.” Hubert sighed, keeping his eyes on Bog. His hand dropped to the sword at his side, a move that did not go unnoticed by Bog.

“Where is he?” Bog stood fully upright, hand on his staff, demanding an immediate answer.

“In the dark forest,” Hubert whispered, eyes locked on Bog.

Marianne looked from the guard to Bog. Both were tensing up, and one misstep could have disastrous results, most likely for Hubert. Marianne stepped between them, hands up to hold them back. She turned to Hubert, narrowing her eyes. “Why is my father in the dark forest?”

“They’re marching on the Bog King’s castle,” Hubert whispered to Marianne.

“What?” Bog snarled. It was too early. They should have had time to stop this from happening.

“Princess, behind me!” Hubert stepped forward abruptly, drawing his sword and throwing his arm out in front of Marianne in an attempt to push her aside.

“Bog. No.” Marianne grabbed the guard’s arm and glared a warning at Bog. “I will handle this.” Bog took a deep breath, remaining where he was. His wings rattled ominously, and he glared at the guard. Marianne turned back to the guard. “When did they leave?”

Hubert glanced from Marianne to Bog, then back again. “Princess? He’s the enemy.”

“He’s not the enemy, Hubert. Commander Davins and his son are.” Marianne flared her wings and stepped in front of Hubert. “Tell me now. When did they leave? Did they take the entire army? I need to know this now so I can stop it.”

“Princess.” Hubert’s eyes were still locked on Bog, who was baring his teeth at him in threat.

“Trust me. I want to stop this from happening.” Marianne spoke sternly, staring at Hubert.

It took the fairy guard a few more moments to gather himself. “Everyone went. They’re in three units. The Sugar Plum Fairy left a message last night that she would not be surrendering to anyone. Roland took a small unit out before the sun rose. Your father is in the second unit with Commander Davins. He has over a hundred men with him, and the third unit has twice as many.

“They intend to wipe us out.” Bog scowled, running a hand over his face. “We are too late! I must get back to defend my castle!” He turned and took off to return to the owl.

“We’ll stop them.” Marianne frowned at Hubert, then she followed Bog.

-=-=-=-=-=-

“Wait for me!” Marianne called out. For a moment, she was afraid that Bog was going to take off without her. “We need to talk about this.”

“Yer people are invading my forest!” Bog snarled, unable to keep his agitation in check.

“Right.” Marianne landed behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders. He looked up at her, face contorted with anger and blue eyes gleaming. “Get me to my father, then go to your castle and stop Roland. Hopefully, they’re still on their way.”

“Hopefully. For their sakes.” Bog growled, his voice filled with menace. Marianne dropped into the saddle behind him, gripping her arms tightly around Bog’s waist. “Would ye switch places?” Bog began to get up.

“If I’m going to get off first, then I need to be back here,” Marianne replied, squeezing him. Bog scowled. Every moment they wasted in the discussion was a moment an army could be arriving at his castle.

“Yes.” Bog nodded. “Hold on.” He clicked to the owl, and they were off. The owl crossed the Fairylands in minutes, then Bog had him fly below the treetops. If they had gone this way earlier, they would have seen the troops. Instead, Bog had chosen the faster path. He regretted it.

Flying through the forest itself slowed the owl down, but they found the path the army had tread immediately. There was no need for them to conceal their movement. Bog snarled when the first fairy troops came into sight. He bristled and flared his shoulder plates.

“They’re not the ones we need to worry about, Bog.” Marianne’s voice broke through Bog’s thoughts on flying in to attack. He could destroy this army with his staff if he wanted to. They were invading his kingdom. He had that right. “Bog.” Marianne’s arms tightened in concern.

The owl flew on. Bog caught a glimpse of the fairy troops worriedly shifting out of formation. They were getting close to the castle when the second, smaller formation came into view. Bog slowed the owl and brought him in low.

Marianne stood up, clinging to Bog’s shoulders. She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Good luck.” Then she let go and flared her wings to take to the air. Bog glanced back, his face tinged red at the gesture, and his anger momentarily gone. Beautiful. So beautiful. He forced himself to look forward. They would be at the castle in minutes.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne flew over the troops to her startled father. He was mounted on a squirrel and riding next to Commander Davins. “Father!” Marianne called out. Davins scowled at the sight of her, then wiped it from his face as Marianne flew between them. “You need to stop this now!”

“Marianne, where have you been!” King Dagda stared at his daughter. “And what are you wearing?”

“No time to explain, you need to turn back now!” Marianne then turned and scowled at Davins. “And you need to arrest Commander Davins.”

“Her time with the Bog King has addled her reason!” Commander Davins shouted to the king. “She’s talking nonsense.”

“Marianne.” The Fairy King looked at his daughter in concern. “We have to do this to get your sister back.”

“No, you don’t! Bog was coming to you this morning to discuss a treaty, and we were going to bring Dawn back tonight!” Marianne didn’t dare land within reach of her father. Something in his eyes told her that he was on the verge of believing Davins over her. “Please, you need to stop them!”

“Most likely, the Bog King was coming in after convincing your naive daughter he could be trusted so he could assassinate you.” Commander Davins was quick. “Imagine how easy that would have been to pull off!”

The Fairy King frowned in thought, then he held up his hand and stopped his squirrel. The advancing troops immediately halted in their march. Davins’ squirrel moved a few steps further, and he turned it to face the king. Marianne hovered over them.

“She is wearing goblin armor!” Commander Davins pointed out.

“There wasn’t any fairy armor that would fit me, or I’d be wearing that!” Marianne snapped at Davins. She turned back to her father. “Sunny’s at the Bog King’s castle. He was in the library two nights ago when you were discussing the plan to take troops into the forest tomorrow. When you left, he overheard Davins and Roland discussing murdering you during the confusion and taking your sword.”

A hard look passed over the Fairy King’s eyes. His hand dropped to the relic sword buckled at his side. He slowly turned his gaze to Davins. Marianne continued. “Then they were going to force me to marry Roland, and he was going to take Dawn as his wife.” The Fairy King took a deep breath his face turning red with an expression of anger that Marianne had never seen on her peaceful father’s face.

Commander Davins scowled, reaching for his sword. His squirrel lunged forward into the Fairy King’s squirrel, which rose to defend itself with a fierce squeal. King Dagda leaped off the squirrel, barely managing to take to the air and get out of the way as the two large animals clawed and bit at each other. Davins went for the old king, swinging his sword with intent to take him out fast.

Marianne dove in to counter, landing in place of her father. She blocked the blow but was pushed back. “Get out of the way!” Davins struck at her again so hard her sword was knocked from her hands. He reached out to shove her aside and was met by a furious blow from the fairy king. Marianne scrambled for her sword. Her father was in no shape to fight the veteran commander. He would lose.

What Marianne lacked in strength, she made up for in speed. She had her sword and turned to see her father parrying a blow from Davins. With a growl, Marianne charged at Davins’ back. Her sword cut through his left wings, then the right. He cried out in pain and whirled on Marianne, thrusting his sword at her and missing. Without his wings, Davins wasn’t able to maneuver or get away.

The front line of troops got over their surprise and moved in to defend their king. Davins found himself surrounded but still had his sword. Surrendering, at this point, wasn’t an option. Marianne flew overhead and watched for a moment as Davins was taken down in a flurry of gleaming blades. Breathing hard at what she had just seen, Marianne landed by her father and gave him a worried look.

“Marianne, are you okay?” He hurried to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“No, I’m not. Now we have to stop Roland. You need to turn the troops back, Dad.” Marianne sheathed her sword and turned to leave.

“Wait,” Her father held onto her. “We’ll need to arrest Roland too. I’ll send some of the troops back to make the force behind us wait, but we need to go with you to the castle.”

“Then, we need to fly there, not just walk!” Marianne gestured to the troops. “I’m flying ahead. I will see you there!” The Fairy King nodded and let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided that the reason I have Bog sleeping during the hottest part of the day is that he easily overheats. Marianne's wings have a cooling effect on her and the other fairies so they don't overheat. Blood passes through the veins in her wings and releases the heat. Unfortunately, when it's cold, this causes a massive temperature drop, making them weak to the cold and rain sapping their heat unnaturally.
> 
> Two more chapters to go! Just need to edit them and decide when I want to post them.


	40. Chapte 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle commences.

Bog growled and stood upon the owl’s back as they neared his castle. He could see goblins blocking all the entrance exactly as they were supposed to. There were a dozen armed fairies with a few armored elves standing in front of the main bridge. A squirrel stood behind the troops without a rider.

Goblins lined the top of the castle. Several rushed up to Bog when he landed, telling him about the fairies at the gates. The fairies that Bog had obviously seen when he flew in. Bog ordered the Goblins to retaliate if they were attacked, then flew down into his throne room to look for his mother. 

He found her immediately, along with an unwelcome guest. The first thing bog saw was a well built, male fairy sitting on his throne. He was reclining on it like it was his, and it sent Bog into an immediate rage. He landed in front of the throne and glared at the fairy. Bog didn’t advance, because his mother stood in the doorway leading to their family area with an ax in her hands. Sunny and Dawn stood behind her. Another fairy guarded the main entrance to the throne room, and there was not a goblin in sight.

“Ye get one warning. Get out of my throne and get out of my castle.” Bog snarled, leveling his staff at the fairy on his throne.

“I’ve come to make a deal with you, Bog King.” Roland rose out of the throne and strutted in front of it, his hand resting on his sword’s hilt. “Hand over Princess Dawn and Marianne, and I will leave your castle intact. Don’t, and we will bring it down around you.”

“The princesses are not my prisoners.” Bog snarled, taking a step closer. “Marianne isn’t even here at the moment. I assume ye are the traitor, Roland? Ye might want to think about making a run for it.”

“Traitor?” Roland smiled at Bog. “I’m doing what’s best for the Kingdom, and that’s wiping you and your kind out. Come on, Dawn, if you’re not a prisoner, you should come with me. Now.” Roland cast a charming smile in Dawn’s direction.

Dawn scowled at Roland, then she pushed past Griselda and flew to Bog’s side. She wrapped her arms around his waist and glared. “I’m staying here until Marianne gets back.” Bog dropped his hand onto Dawn’s shoulder and smiled at Roland.

“Seriously?” Roland made a face. “How can you even touch that hideous thing. He’s a monster. He kidnapped you and dragged you away to this awful place!”

“Roland was supposed to be guarding me, Bog,” Dawn hissed, glancing up at Bog. “When your goblins took me. He ran off and left me!”

Bog huffed, looking at Dawn for a moment, then he turned his attention back to Roland, grinding his teeth and rattling his wings behind him. “Ye ran off and left a princess to be captured by goblins? So not only are ye a traitor, but ye are a coward too? I’m going to enjoy ripping yer wings off.”

“If anyone deserves it, he does.” Dawn pouted.

“Perception, Bog King.” Roland smiled again, raising his wings in preparation to move if he needed to. “Isn’t it interesting how Marianne had you outside the castle, allowing our army to advance? Now she’s joined the rest of the troops. She’s not here with you for a reason.” Roland began sowing seeds of doubt, and for a moment, Bog wondered if he told the truth.

“Marianne would never do that!” Dawn yelled, bringing Bog back to reality. He had to trust that Marianne was on his side. There was no way that she would turn on him. He hoped.

“Marianne isn’t here, because she’s stopping your father from assassinating the Fairy King!” Bog roared. 

Roland glared at Bog. “Hand over the princess. Now.”

“No.” Bog drew himself up. “I will not. Marianne will be here soon.”

“If that is how you want it.” A smile spread over his face and he made a gesture to the other soldier in the room. He nodded at Roland, then turned and flew away. “I’m doing this place a favor by redecorating.”

The only thing holding Bog back was Dawn, still standing behind him. “Dawn, ye need to go back over to my mother. Go inside.” He didn’t look at her, moving his hand to try to push her back.

“No way. I’m protecting you!” Dawn protested.

Bog opened his mouth to respond but didn’t get a word out. The entire castle shook with the force of an explosion somewhere on the outside. Pieces of bark fell from the ceiling, and a massive crack appeared in the wall.

“See ya!” Roland lifted off the throne and flew for the opening above. “I’ll give Marianne your regards!” Bog snarled and almost followed. A second explosion rocked the castle and made the floor roll. Large chunks of wood began falling from the ceiling. 

“Everyone out!” Bog turned to his mother and Sunny. “We have to get out now!” Frightened yelling came from above as goblins began making their way down the stairs. “Evacuate!” Bog shouted at them. The throne room was suddenly filled with goblins racing for the main door. 

Griselda grabbed Sunny and pulled the startled elf across the floor. “What do we do about the fairies outside?”

“They won’t be a problem.” Bog growled. “Marianne should be here by now.” He took to the air after his mother with Dawn behind him. They were halfway across the throne room when a third explosion ripped through the castle. A wall tilted inward, taking part of the roof with it.

“Dawn!” Sunny looked back in time to see a large chunk of wood crash near her. Dawn yelped, rolling out of the way barely in time to avoid getting hit.

“I’ll get her! Get out of here!” Bog turned, intending to grab Dawn and carry her out. Chunks of wood fell all around, and one caught Dawn’s wing, ripping a large hole into it. She cartwheeled into the ground in front of Bog. He cringed at the damage and quickly scooped her up. Dawn whimpered, wrapping her arms around Bog’s neck as he carried her out the rest of the way.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Marianne arrived at the castle as the second explosion hit it. She flew up high, watching as the hand full of Fairy troops and elves there backed away from the flood of goblins spilling out of the castle. They were running in a disorganized panic. She didn’t see Bog among them, but she did spot a familiar set of fairy wings leave the castle from the top.

Roland was not going to escape. Marianne drew her sword and flew as fast as she could after him. Roland circled the castle, unaware that Marianne was coming for him. Several of his men were circling the base of the castle carrying explosive charges. Goblins were throwing sticks and rocks at them, but unable to offer any real opposition for the armored fairies.

“Roland!” Marianne yelled, so he would see her as she attacked. Her sword was upraised, and she was coming for him. 

“Whoa!” Roland was incredibly fast for his size. He back winged just enough to avoid being struck, then drew his own sword to fight Marianne off. “Marianne! What are you doing?”

“You went too far!” Marianne struck at him repeatedly, forcing him back. He was fast, but so was she.

“Nothing is too far where love is concerned! Why can’t I do anything to impress you?” Roland scowled, countering each blow. He reached behind an armored plate at his hip and produced a small bottle, the love potion.

“Because you don’t love me!” Marianne hissed, not noticing what he was doing. “You never did, and I will never love you!” Another explosion rocked the castle. Marianne flew back, swooping around the side of the castle walls, trying to get a glimpse of her sister, Sunny, or Bog. Roland took advantage of her momentary distraction to pop the top off the bottle. 

“That’s where you’re wrong.” Roland smiled and flew straight up. Marianne scowled and took the bait. She flew after him, sword ready for the next round. Only that wasn’t what happened. Roland turned the bottle upside down, sending a shower of glittering potion down on top of Marianne, covering her in it. 

Marianne sneezed and momentarily lost control of her body. Her wings relaxed, she dropped her sword and began falling. Roland grinned, sheathed his sword, and swooped down to grab her. It lasted for seconds, then Marianne returned to her senses and screamed at Roland. She struggled and fought against him.

“Why isn’t it working!” Roland growled, trying to keep his hold on the furious fairy. 

“Let me go!” Marianne screamed, finally managing to land a punch to Roland’s face. He let her go, then tried to grab for her again. Marianne folded her wings and dropped out of his reach. She turned, scanning the area below for her sword. More explosions shook the castle causing Marianne to gasp, seeing it fall further. She caught sight of Dawn’s wings on the main bridge, crossing it to the safety of the other side.

Marianne didn’t have time to see anything else. Roland tackled her from above, pinned her arms and wings to her sides. She attempted to fight back, but his grip was too strong.

-=-=-=-=-=- 

Bog stood at the main entrance, watching the last few goblins cross the bridge after his mother, Sunny, and Dawn. They would be safe on the other side. Cracks formed in the bridge beneath Bog’s feet, and he looked inside the doors. There were no more goblins in sight. Everyone evacuated. Bog looked across the bridge again. Adults. There were only adults.

It took Bog a few seconds to realize why. The young goblins would have been taken down into the burrows beneath the castle. They thought they were safe there, but the weight of the castle falling in on itself would crush them. Bog took a deep breath, making his decision. He could be down there in minutes and get everyone to get out through the underground tunnels.

Bog flew back into the castle just as the opening collapsed. He dropped down the open center of the castle amid bits and pieces of bark. The sides loomed in on him, but they hadn’t fallen in yet. They creaked and groaned, but he felt he could take this chance. 

Moments later, Bog entered the underground chamber and ran across the first group of young goblins huddled with a caretaker. “Get out, now The castle is coming down!” Bog flew by them, shouting. They immediately scrambled for one of the tunnels that led outside the castle. He circled the area, yelling for everyone to leave, then he landed and counted. There were only a few, but not a single goblin life could be spared. 

The goblin children scrambled out as quickly as they could, along with several adults carrying those too small to run. Bog made one last circle, yelling for anyone left to leave immediately. Another explosion echoed from above, bringing with it a shower of dirt and rocks. It was time to go. Bog flew for the closest tunnel.

Rock shifted and crashed down on top of the opening just as Bog reached it. He swerved away from the blocked exit, looking for the next closest tunnel. The air filled with falling dirt and a deafening roar. Bog’s jaw dropped open as the ceiling began falling around him in large chunks. He held his staff out in front of him as rock crashed down on top of him.

Bog ended up on his back, gasping for air. He was wedged in so tightly beneath the rocks he couldn’t move. Darkness surrounded him and the weight on his body increased. If he didn’t think quickly, he would die. Pain shot through his left arm, which was crossed over his staff. Bog took a ragged breath and closed his eyes, willing the only thing he could think of to begin. Golden light from the amber gem in his staff filled the small area, then it exploded above him.

-=-=-=-=-=- 

The outside of the castle was in chaos as it collapsed in on itself. Fairies were flying everywhere, most of them shouting at the first group of fairies to stand down. King Dagda stood on the edge of the ravine with Dawn nearby. His younger daughter was sobbing into Sunny’s arms, and Griselda stood nearby, staring at the pile of smoldering wood that had once been her home. She could be heard whispering her son’s name in complete shock.

Roland decided that fighting Marianne any further wasn’t worth it as a group of fairy soldiers flew after him, shouting at him to surrender. He let her go and flew for all he was worth. Marianne let the soldiers go after him. She didn’t have a sword, and she saw the castle collapsing in on itself, and she still hadn’t seen Bog.

Marianne flew down to the edge of the ravine first, looking for him. She spotted her father, Sunny, Dawn, and Zelda, but no Bog. Biting back her worry, Marianne dove to the wreckage, shouting for him. Her father flew down with her, followed by a number of soldiers. They fanned out over the debris, searching for signs of life.

“Marianne!” Her father called out to her. “Be careful!” She was in a panic, flying erratically around the rubble. The remains of the castle shook, and the fairies flew up and to the sides. A moment later, a beam of golden light burst through a section of rock and wood, blowing it into the air.

The Fairy king drew his sword and moved faster than he had in years to the edge of the hole. Wood fell back into the opening when he struck it with his sword. Vines shot out around the entire castle and down into the opening, stabilizing it. Marianne flew to her father, careful to avoid the hole in case another blast came from it.

“Stay back, Marianne! I have this!” Her father circled the opening, striking the surface at strategic points. Vines spread further, pulling up the pieces of wood quickly. The hole grew wider with incredible speed.

“Bog! Hold on! We’re coming to get you!” Marianne shouted into the opening, trying to see into it without getting too close.

-=-=-=-=-=- 

For a moment, Bog could breathe, then dirt, rock, and wood began falling on him again. He put his hand over his chest and attempted to buy time by healing his injuries. It worked for a moment, then left him. He was in too much pain to manage his own healing. The sound of Marianne’s voice came to him. It was so far away, but he could hear her.

Then things began moving around Bog. Something wound around his body and lifted him. Bog tried to open his eyes, unsure of what was going on. Something wrapped around him and was continually moving across his body. Bog opened his eyes as he took a full breath. He saw vines curling above him and realized what it was. Memories of the last time he saw these particular vines ran through his head, and he began panicking. 

The vines wrapped around Bog tightly as he fought them, pulling him out of the deep hole and over the edge. Marianne landed next to him, calling out to him to relax. The vines retracted, allowing Bog to move. He sat up with some effort, staring blankly at Marianne. She was in tears, her hands held out in front of her like she was afraid to touch him. Blood dripped down the left side of his head and face.

“Hello, Love.” Bog smiled weakly, leaning on his staff. Blood was spattered over torn armor and the way his left arm hung was not natural. Even though she couldn’t see his back, Marianne could see his wings were mangled and torn. They jutted out to the sides in all the wrong angles. 

“I’m fine, Princess.” Bog took a ragged breath. “I need to find my father’s books.” He attempted to stand, pulling himself upright with his staff, and he stood there for a moment, looking at Marianne. She was safe. Everyone was safe. The world began swirling, and Bog swayed to one side. He attempted to steady himself but ended up crashing to the ground in a heap. His staff fell beside him with an ominous clang.

“Oh, no!” Marianne lifted his right hand and placed it on his chest. “Heal yourself.” She whispered, glancing around at the growing crowd of armed fairies and goblins. Bog didn’t respond. There was a smile on his face, but he was no longer conscious. She pressed down on his hand with hers, wishing she could force a miracle.

“Marianne!” Her father grabbed her by the shoulder and leaned over, looking at Bog. 

Marianne looked up through her tears. “Dad, please help him. I love him. I didn’t even get to tell him!”

“We’ll get him stabilized.” The Fairy King looked from his daughter to Bog. Whatever happened over the last few days, had to have a fantastic story behind it. Marianne leaned over Bog, trying not to put any weight on him as she cried. Fairy healers were converging around Bog, making preparations to move him. Marianne was pulled back by her father.

“Books.” Marianne glanced around the destroyed area. “He said he needed his father’s books.” She wiped her eyes and looked at her father.

“I’ll see to it we recover anything we can. This is all my fault.” The Fairy King frowned, turning to look at the destruction. The vines were holding everything together for the time being, but the castle was a loss.

Goblins, Fairies, and Elves watched with a mixture of emotions. The Goblins were happy that their king was alive but confused about why the fairies were taking him with them. Fairies were perplexed by the same scene, unsure what to make of Princess Marianne’s actions toward the Goblin King. The elves were more startled by what they were seeing. One of their own was in the embrace of Princess Dawn.

-=-=-=-=-=- 

Marianne’s eyes were puffy and red from how long she cried over Bog. She couldn’t hold it back, no matter hard, she tried. The tears came every time she looked at his broken body and saw his chest barely move. His armor had been removed and he was wrapped in bandages. Large bruises covered most of Bog’s exposed flesh. Their healers kept him sedated, saying he needed it for a few days. Marianne knew Bog would be upset if she talked them into allowing him to wake and then tried to get him to heal himself. She hated seeing him lying there, not hearing a word she said. His staff rested in the corner of the room, beside a large pile of books they recovered from the castle wreckage.

Griselda had been brought to the castle with her son and sat most of the time quietly, worried about him. Once she was sure that he would recover, Griselda returned to the forest to reassure the goblins there that their king would return. Dawn came down regularly to check on Bog and try to comfort her worried sister.

-=-=-=-=-=- 

King Dagda wrapped an arm over Marianne’s shoulders, leaning over to whisper to her, “Marianne, we need to talk.”

“I love him,” Marianne whispered, her hands resting on Bog’s right hand, gripping it tightly. She maintained that contact the entire time, even though he had not shown any sign of responding.

“We need to talk.” Her father repeated. “It’s not what you think. He will be okay if you leave for a little bit. This is important.”

“I love him,” Marianne repeated, wiping the back of her hand over her eyes and sniffling. She got up to follow her father out of the room.

-=-=-=-=-=- 

They ended up the Fairy King’s personal library. He motioned to one of the comfortable reading chairs to one side of the room. Marianne sat down, folding her arms over her legs and leaning forward to stare at the ornate rug on the floor. She played on that rug when she was a child and traced the designs with her fingers while her father worked.

King Dagda pulled the second reading chair closer to his daughter. He walked to his desk and pulled out an envelope made out of parchment. Then he went to the chair, handed Marianne the envelope, and sat down. “I met Cadeyrn, Bogdan’s father, when I was a teenager.” He began.

Marianne looked at the envelope. It had an orange wax seal on it with an emblem that was the same design as Bog’s staff. “He was ancient then. Probably the oldest fairy I’ve ever met. I used to explore the dark forest and he caught me there. I guess I amused him. We talked. He was new to the forest and had begun winning over the goblins. They were less organized at that time.”

“You never mentioned this.” Marianne held the envelope in her hands, staring at it. She bent it, breaking the seal. “When we had our talk before.”

“Cadeyrn didn’t look like other fairies and was hesitant about attempting to join our Kingdom. He married a goblin woman. He had a plan and he needed me to pull it off. It would benefit all of us.” Her father continued explaining. “Cadeyrn came from a long line of kings, and he came through the world of men to our homeland. In truth, he owns all the land around us in the human world and kept them from intruding on us. He was far more educated than any other fairy, and his plan was to civilize the goblins to a point where we could trade with them. He saw something in them that we could not and was approachable because he didn’t look like us. He made so much progress. We often met to discuss how things were going and talk about our families.”

Marianne stared at her father, not sure what he was getting at, but finding this information fascinating. This wasn’t something that was known, but it was necessary. Marianne opened the envelope and skimmed it.

“When you were a child, we wrote this agreement. He liked what he heard about you and I liked what he told me about Bogdan. He told me his son was studious and eager to please. He had a good heart and would be a great King someday. So we made an arrangement.” The Fairy King continued, watching as his daughter blinked at what she was reading.

“If you weren’t interested in anyone by your eighteenth birthday, we were to introduce the two of you and begin working toward the final steps in opening up our kingdoms.” Her father continued. “When Cadeyrn died, everything fell apart. Then there was the misunderstanding with the tribute involved, and there was no way I was going to let you near the monster the Bog King became.”

“He’s not a monster,” whispered Marianne, reading over the document in her hands. It was written in a similar flowy script to Bog’s, outlining the arrangement and intent to combine their kingdoms through marriage, if Bogdan and Marianne found each other acceptable. It wasn’t a forced arrangement, more of the desired outcome.

“I was not to tell you this until you turned 18. Bogdan wouldn’t know until he was 28.” Her father sighed. “I promised Cadeyrn that if anything happened to him, I would reach out to his son and help him. I broke that promise, and a day doesn’t go by that I don’t regret it. I should have taken these letters to him to prove I was a friend to his father. Instead, I pulled back and allowed an angry, mourning child to run his Kingdom into the ground, to protect you.”

Marianne stared at her father, tears streaming down her face again. “We all make mistakes. It’s what we do to correct them that matters,” she whispered. “Bog made mistakes, but he was attempting to fix them. We were coming here to do that. Bog wrote up a treaty to start with, and it was a good one.” She laughed. “He asked for me to be his ambassador from the Fairylands. He wants to change. I think the two of you will have a lot to talk about.”

“Does he love you?” Dagda reached over and laid a hand on Marianne’s arm. “How did this happen in just a few days? I know how you felt about love.”

“Dad,” Marianne began laughing again through the tears. “Bog has been courting me for over a year! In his own ridiculous way.” Her father’s expression was completely perplexed. Marianne explained about her watcher and the ridiculous daily games of figuring out where he was, how to outsmart him. How they challenged each other, and their brief encounter when Marianne trapped him. She told him about their battle, how she realized after it that he had been trying not to hurt her. Marianne told him everything, how much Dawn liked him, the silly flower crown Dawn gave him, even how Bog could heal, and being caught in the rainstorm. Everything.

The Fairy King stared at his daughter with wide eyes. “Well, I guess I’m going to commission a real suit of armor for you, Marianne. I always knew you were special.” He smiled warmly at her. “And I underestimated your ability to take care of myself. I’m sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left and I'm considering posting it tonight, but I'm not sure if anyone will read this far after I posted three chapters.
> 
> I'm sure they have some kind of magical bombs in that armory of theirs. :D  
>  Also, angry Dawn, do not get in the way of angry Dawn.


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waking up...

Bog woke up several mornings later in unfamiliar surroundings. His vision was blurry at first. He blinked and looked around, then smiled as his eyes landed on a familiar head of golden streaked brown hair. Marianne leaned over his right arm, a chair pulled up to the side. She was asleep, gripping his hand.

With a low groan, Bog sat upright, careful not to disturb Marianne. The room seemed to wobble for a moment, then stabilized. Bog felt incredibly good. He tried to move his left arm and scowled when it wouldn’t go anywhere, then he looked down to see that it had a binding wrapped around it, and it was secured by straps around his neck in a sling. Bog sat for a moment, unsure of what to do.

“Marianne?” Bog whispered, leaning toward her. She didn’t move. He moved his arm a little, closing his hand over hers, and that made Marianne stir. She sat up and smiled at him.

“They said you would wake up today. Are you hungry? I can fly to the kitchen and bring you something to eat.” Marianne spoke excitedly, running her free hand over Bog’s, gripping his fingers. “What would you like?”

Bog tilted his head, just looking at Marianne. She was a mess. Her hair was sticking up in all directions, her eyes were puffy and red, and her face was blotchy. Marianne wasn’t wearing her usual eye shadow. She was the most beautiful vision to behold, and Bog just looked at her through half-closed eyes.

“Bog?” She reached out, gingerly touching his face. He leaned against her hand with a sigh and didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes, waiting for the dream to end. “If you want to get up, the healers said you should eat something. Oh, and you can’t fly right now, so don’t try.” Marianne began talking, trying to fill the silence with something. “Your arm should be fine in a week. Would you like something to eat?”

“Not if it means ye leaving the room.” Bog grumbled.

“Your wings shed and grow back once a year, like ours, don’t they?” Marianne stood up.

“Twice.” Bog nodded. “Spring and Fall. Not worried about them. A little early this year.”

Marianne fidgeted with the pillow behind Bog, standing next to the bed. She glanced around the small room and listened. Her cheeks were flushed as thoughts ran through her head. She bit her lower lip and gazed at Bog, feeling silly and awkward.

“My father says you can stay with us as long as you need to. Your mom has made herself at home. She’s in the forest right now and should be back this evening.” Marianne’s eyes searched over the room. “Oh, and we recovered a lot of books for you. But most of them are blank.”

“Blank?” Bog made a face.

“Yes.” Marianne pulled her hand out of Bog’s. She walked to the corner of the room, where the small stack was sitting on a table. She picked up several of them and took them to Bog. He looked from her to the books and smirked. The books in her hands were his father’s. He could see the words on the covers and his father’s seal. “They have your seal, so we brought them here anyway, but they’re blank.”

“They’re not blank.” Bog took the top book and opened it. It was filled with his father’s handwriting, recording a random event in Scotland. “Do ye not see it?” He held it up for Marianne. She frowned and looked from the book to Bog’s curious face.

“Nothing.” She shrugged. “It’s a blank page.”

Bog closed the book and smirked, running his hand over the cover and feeling the embossed lettering. “This is what my father meant when he told me I would be the only one who could read his books. He was still practicing some magic.” He looked up at Marianne. “There is writing in them. Thank ye for retrieving them.”

“Would you like something to eat?” Marianne asked for a third time. Bog gave her a sad look. Awkward silence once again filled the room.

Then, Bog closed his eyes and sighed. “Yes. I should eat so I can get back to my forest.” Then he smiled nervously at Marianne. “Yer free to enter the forest whenever ye want. I’ll make sure everyone knows it.”

“Thank you.” Marianne rocked back and forth on her heels, folding her arms behind her back. “You’re free to go anywhere you want in the fairylands. Oh, and my father wants to speak to you when you’re able.”

Bog frowned, staring down at his hands, then he began wringing them, unsure of what to say. “I uh, uh, I’m sorry all of this happened.”

“I’m not, well, I am.” Marianne stumbled over her words, the blush on her face deepening. “I’m sorry I tried to kill you.” She glanced away and added in a whisper, “And I thought so many bad things about you. I’m so sorry.”

“Okay.” Bog nodded, looking up at her sadly. He stared at her, then looked away. This wasn’t going how he would have liked it to go. What did he expect? That a beautiful fairy princess would actually love him? “Since I no longer have a castle or a kingdom, that leaves me open to serve ye, if ye would have me. I am a failure at everything, but I can fight for ye. That, I’m good at.” The words spilled out in a heartfelt offering. “I have nothing, and I am nothing, but I will serve ye with my life.”

“To be near me? That’s all you ever wanted. To be near me.” Marianne repeated Bog’s words from the night of the storm, returning a look of sadness. “Please, don’t talk down about yourself.”

“It’s the truth.” Bog scowled, missing what she was saying. “A truth I need to face.”

“The man I love is brave, strong, confident, smart, and a lot of fun.” Marianne gave Bog a shy smile. She sat on the bed on his right side. Bog looked at her with his mouth set into a thin line of disbelief. “And I never want to hear him say any less.” She leaned her shoulder against him and felt him tremble at the contact. Bog swallowed, looking down at her, into her eyes, then he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. He lowered his head to rest his face in her hair.

“What else is this man that you love?” Bog murmured, wishing his other hand was free.

“Oh, he can be a little annoying, aggravating, teasing, and overprotective, but in a good way.” Marianne giggled, casting furtive glances at Bog as she spoke. “Incredibly bull-headed and stubborn.”

“Hmph.” Bog ran his hand over Marianne’s shoulder and down her arm. “Well, the woman I love is also stubborn and has an incredible temper. She’s absolutely wild and reckless, fiery and determined.” He couldn’t look at her, but a smile spread across his face. “She’s good with a sword, beautiful, intelligent, and creative. She was so calm when it mattered and has a level head. She’s a queen.”

“Someday,” giggled Marianne. She snuggled up against Bog’s chest and tilted her head to look at him. “So, Bog King, do I seriously have to ask you to kiss me?

Bog pursed his lips. “I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

“It’s easy.” Marianne rolled out of his arms and got onto her knees. She was careful not to put any physical pressure on Bog. She lifted her hands to his face, avoiding the thorny protrusions, then smiled at him.

Bog lifted his good hand and ran it up into her hair, smiling back. “Ye are my love, Marianne. I will always be there for ye. I will never leave ye.”

“I believe you,” Marianne closed her eyes, tilting her head and leaning forward. “I love you, Bog. I will always be there for you, and I will never leave you.” She leaned in for the kiss and missed as a giggle sounded from the doorway. Instead, she fell onto Bog’s shoulder, and he cried out in pain

“Oh, I am so sorry!” Dawn giggled from the doorway, lifting her hands to her mouth in embarrassment. “I uh, I ruined that, didn’t I?”

Marianne turned and shot a glare in her sister’s direction while Bog squirmed and winced. “Get. Out.”

“Leaving!” Dawn giggled again, turning and darting out the door. “I’ll make sure nobody else comes in!”

“Where were we?” Marianne gave Bog an exasperated sigh. In response, he wrapped his right arm around her and pulled her close enough to give her an awkward kiss. It took a moment for him to settle into the motion and figure out what he was doing. Kissing Marianne was more amazing than Bog had fantasized about. Her lips were warm and soft, and the moment they touched, it sent an amazingly wonderful electric jolt through Bog’s body, followed by an incredible sense of warmth.

Marianne raised her wings, leaning in passionately, her hands caressing Bog’s neck and face. It went on for a considerable amount of time. Simple, sweet kissing, holding, and being held.

-=-=-=-=-

Walking hurt. Sitting hurt. Standing hurt. Every movement hurt, but Bog was on his feet. The fairies provided him with a simple brown robe, which was too small for his frame, but it made him feel less exposed. Most of his armor had been destroyed doing its job, keeping him alive when his castle fell on him. Leaning on his staff, he waited for Marianne to join him. He stood in her room at the foot of her rose petal bed. While she was out, he studied the things she liked and committed the colors and decorations to memory. The pleasant scent of flowers surrounded him.

Marianne dropped down on her balcony and walked into the room with a shy smile on her face. Her hands were behind her back as she walked up to Bog. “I have something for you.”

“Oh?” Bog smiled. “What is it?”

“It’s not that great.” Marianne winced, the blush over her nose and cheeks spreading. “But, I made it for you.”

“Yes?” Bog leaned down further on his staff to be at eye level with her.

Marianne held her hands out to show Bog a flower crown that had no sense of order or reason to it. The flowers were all different shapes and colors. Leaves protruded haphazardly, and the stems stuck out here and there.

“It’s perfect.” Bog whispered, his face turning red at the kind gesture. “Just like ye.” He ran his fingers over it and lifted it out of Marianne’s hands. She grimaced, her face burning red now at the pleased look on Bog’s face. He proudly placed it on his head and smiled at her. She giggled despite herself.

“My father is expecting us. We should go.” Marianne stepped up to Bog and they kissed. “In a little bit.” She smiled, kissing him again.

-=-=-=-=-

Marianne couldn’t stop smiling. Being with Bog made her happier than she had ever been in the last two years. What she had with Roland had only been infatuation and desperation for someone to love her. With Bog, she had pushed him away and he stood firm, loving her without expectation. This was real and true. She didn’t have any doubts. Almost losing him made so many things clear.

“Stop fidgeting. He’s just my father.” Marianne turned to Bog, who was messing with the strap holding his left arm in the sling.

“And the king,” sighed Bog.

“You’re still a king.” Marianne scowled, grabbing his right arm. Bog grumbled, shifting his staff from the crook of his arm into his hand.

They entered King Dagda’s study to find him sitting at his desk. He rose with a smile and motioned to the chairs in front of his desk. “Take a seat. We have a lot to talk about.”

“I will remain standing.” Bog looked at the chairs, neither of which would be any more comfortable in his current condition than standing. Getting up and down hurt more than remaining on his feet. Bog gestured for Marianne to sit. She nodded and took the chair while Bog stood behind her in silence.

“First, Bogdan, I need to apologize to you.” The Fairy King sighed and pulled out a stack of parchment. He put them on the edge of the desk. “These are for you. Your father wanted you to have them if he passed early.” Bog stared at the pile, his jaw dropping at the size of it. “Your father and I were friends, Bogdan. We had a lot of meetings over the years before you were born and up until the year he died.” Bog looked at the Fairy King. It was apparent he had never known this.

Marianne smiled, leaning back and taking Bog’s hand as it dropped to the back of her chair. King Dagda began repeating the conversation he had with Marianne a few days prior. Bog hung onto every word with a stunned expression. When the King reached the part about their arrangement for him and Marianne, he slid his hand over Marianne’s shoulder.

“I should have tried harder to reach you. I’m sorry, Bogdan.” King Dagda sighed, giving his final apology. “I want to help you going forward to rebuild your kingdom and your home.”

“I don’t think I would have wanted your help, no matter how hard you tried when I was younger.” Bog shook his head. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I was wrong. I accept your offer. And I also need to apologize for my own actions.”

“We will talk about that another day, Bogdan.” King Dagda looked from Marianne to Bog, then gestured to them. “Marianne, Bogdan, that brings us to one more thing. The two of you.” Both blushed, looking at each other.

“I think I would like time to prepare a proper home for the love of my life,” Bog stated.

“Whatever he wants.” Marianne grinned at her father, then she leaned back to look up at Bog. “But spending time to get to know each other better sounds like a good thing. We don’t need to rush.”

Dagda nodded with a smile. “That’s a wise decision. If you get married, you will have expectations put upon you that you don’t need right now. You will be taking my place soon after you marry, Marianne. I believe our kingdom couldn’t be in better hands in the future. And that brings me to some bad news.” The King sighed, running a hand over his face. “As you know, Davins is recovering in holding, but Roland escaped into the forest. We have no idea where he went. You need to be on your guard.”

“We will.” Bog growled. “I will have my goblins scour the forest for him.”

“Good.” Dagda smiled, “So now I need a new commander for our army, and I’m considering training someone for that position, well, two.” He chuckled. “I believe it would be a good experience for you, Marianne, and if you would like to assist, Bogdan.”

“I know all your drills. I uh, watched the troops training often, and my father taught me everything he knew.” Bog smiled at the offer.

“I was told how your goblins organized, even in their small numbers.” Dagda nodded at Bog. “You were not an incapable commander. Together we will be able to keep all our people protected. Now, I’ve taken enough of your time. I know you need to recover, Bogdan. That’s all I needed to say.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Bog stated politely, reaching for the pile of envelopes on the desk. He picked them up and tucked them into the sling.

-=-=-=-=-

Bog sat on an overly comfortable Fairy bed in the room he had been given. It was on the same floor as the royal family’s rooms with a balcony that faced the morning sun. Marianne sat next to him on his right with the pile of letters written by Bog’s father. She had read through all of them. Bog listened with his full attention. He attempted to read them, but with one hand, that had proven a tricky endeavor. The paper kept trying to fold on itself.

“Okay, now, I’ve read this one five times.” Marianne snuggled up against Bog’s side, laying her head against his chest. “I’m not reading it again.”

“But that one is my favorite.” Bog flicked the paper with his fingers. “My dad would be so happy to see us.”

“Yeah.” Marianne smiled, looking at the letter, skimming over the words again that laid out the intent to have Bog and Marianne meet. “But I’m tired of reading. Why don’t you sing to me.”

“Sing?” Bog made a face.

“Like you did that night after the rain.”

“Ah.” Bog thought for a moment, then smiled.

Marianne, my love,  
I watched ye for so long from afar,  
Yer heart I wished to take hold of,  
But ye were a blazing star,

Like a moth to the flame,  
Ye drew me to yer side,  
Until ye, love I did disclaim,  
And then our lives did collide

Yer spirit lit up my life with love,  
My lovely lass, my heart’s desire,  
It is ye I think the world of,  
Yer love has set my soul afire,

Marianne, ye are my love,  
My unpredictable firefly,  
Marianne, my truelove,  
My chaotic butterfly.

“Not the same song.” Marianne smiled, her eyes closed. “Sing it again. You owe me five times.”

Bog chuckled, squeezing Marianne gently. “It’s not that good.”

“I don’t care, just sing for me.” She tilted her head up and smiled. Bog kissed her, taking his time to enjoy it. Then he laid back with his lovely fairy in his arm and sang to her.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story. At over 100k it's a good long one, especially since I didn't outline it like I normally do. I let it go where it wanted to and there are a few things I let purposely slide to the wayside. At some point, I will begin serious edits and rewriting. I did go back and rewrite one scene in the early chapters.
> 
> Thank you for reading and your comments. It has helped me build up more confidence in my writing.
> 
> However, you WILL notice I did not even touch on the title of the series. :D I will probably go back and rename the story once I figure out a good name for it. I intended to write 3 stories, A beginning, the core, and a third to take place after. I forgot to divide the first two into separate stories. :D I am already 10 chapters/halfway through the next story and will begin posting it once I know what the titles will be. I've decided there will likely be two more.


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